AMERICAN: THE SCAR IS HOPE

BY LE’VAR HOWARD

We are written in blood,
crafted in stone, and given
life over and over again by
the breath of hope. American hope is the thing of
dreams. A thing of
prayers. A praise of songs, a dance
to face fears and confront
evils. A scar is a boyhood
dream for Americans. A shade
under the burning sun, in all its
reign and glory. To wear the skins
of each hunt, to be proud, to seek
truth, to know God, to honor the
mother to be strong and show strength
is added in the day’s works.
Each who falls,
he stands a new moon, a light brighter than before
hungry, adamant, faithful, hunting destiny.
He begs for the time of
champions. To stay here, let us
feast. Let us eat. Let us devour rage, losses, things untold and unseen. American
hope is to be the champion of all things.
To see and know all things. To wear the scars of birth in his image. | LH

LE’VAR HOWARD IS A PORTLAND, OREGON NATIVE. MOST OF HIS FAMILY COMES FROM GULF PORT, MISSISSIPPI, ATLANTA, TEXAS, AND OKLAHOMA. LE’VAR IS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE GROUND BENEATH US WRITING GROUP. HE TRACES INFLUENCES ON HIS WRITING TO HIS AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE.