Right now, today, the only thing I can picture now when I think of America is a man cradling her as she slowly dies in his arms.
The multitudes already having abandoned her, succumbing to infighting with one another; this man was the only one who chose to remain at her side until her last breath. He was the last one standing.
"Don't let my legacy die!" she cried.
"I won't" he sobbed.
"I meant only good things for my people... I wish had done more for them... I wanted them to live free and united...in harmony...but I... have nothing left for my children-- their future... has been taken away..."
As she began to slowly close her eyes and take her final breaths, the man replied, "You did everything for them and more, but they are the ones who failed you. ...
They proclaimed their love for you but callously abandoned you. They swore to fight for you but surrendered. Those who fought for you were gleefully betrayed. In the end, there wasn't enough of us who truly cared for you and what you stood for. There were those of us who did care, and I still do."
She looked up at him one final time and smiled.
"Don't cry," she beckoned. "May you... succeed where I...failed..."
"Keep fighting... in... my stead. Never... give up on freedom--"
The man embraced her, as America took her last breath. He didn't have the strength to cry or scream. He looked up at the heavens as the rain began to fall.
...
"I won't. There will be a day when they revere you again."
The multitudes already having abandoned her, succumbing to infighting with one another; this man was the only one who chose to remain at her side until her last breath. He was the last one standing.
"Don't let my legacy die!" she cried.
"I won't" he sobbed.
"I meant only good things for my people... I wish had done more for them... I wanted them to live free and united...in harmony...but I... have nothing left for my children-- their future... has been taken away..."
As she began to slowly close her eyes and take her final breaths, the man replied, "You did everything for them and more, but they are the ones who failed you. ...
They proclaimed their love for you but callously abandoned you. They swore to fight for you but surrendered. Those who fought for you were gleefully betrayed. In the end, there wasn't enough of us who truly cared for you and what you stood for. There were those of us who did care, and I still do."
She looked up at him one final time and smiled.
"Don't cry," she beckoned. "May you... succeed where I...failed..."
"Keep fighting... in... my stead. Never... give up on freedom--"
The man embraced her, as America took her last breath. He didn't have the strength to cry or scream. He looked up at the heavens as the rain began to fall.
...
"I won't. There will be a day when they revere you again."
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