In declarations of self-love, searching, political thought, and individualism, this book’s verses navigate a country on the verge of collapse. It is a country in which the individual reigns supreme but risks falling into the pits of conformity. In celebrations of the individual and close scrutinies of a system founded on free will and exceptionalism that finds itself in peril of slowly succumbing to overregulation, the voice of a single narrator rings loud and clear like the Liberty Bell. By honoring and internalizing the American cultural and natural landscapes, each poem reestablishes America’s place as the Free World’s leader. This is achieved by uniquely blending Vedic tones with Thoreau-like analysis of the individual’s purpose and role in preserving both personal and national independence as well as the basic freedoms granted to all by the U.S. Constitution.

Part Emerson-spirited commemoration and part Franklin-hued political manifesto, this book examines the domino effect of political and historical revision at the personal, societal, and universal levels. The poems in this collection cohesively form arguments against the oppression of individualism as well as modern society’s silencing of certain voices. They also call all individuals to pause, go silent, and seek an understanding of their inner selves in order to understand their place in the context of a larger public. By fusing Washington-like bravado and patriotism with Whitman-esque free verse forms, these poems stir the inner fife and drum corps of any reader engaged in discussions surrounding elections, the electoral system, American history, and America’s future. At its core, however, the verses in this book call for re-centering and balance in one’s self and politics. Readers seeking new and fresh outlets of political messaging without the negativity of polarization will find them in this book.

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