American Olympians
at the Paris Olympic Games

They come upon the track, the Football pitch,
and the gymnastics floor
with arrogance and entitlement,
an array of overstuffed eagles created by a taxidermist
with his cruel but keen eye upon history.
The Star-Spangled jingle spewing from their mouths,
every medal they win a haul of wall-street dollars,
a commercial signature for them to gloat about
like the signature of endless wars
their country wages
as they kill innocents abroad
across the world.
The American Olympic motto not,
“Citius, Altius, Fortius – Communiter”—
Their motto: Selfishness, Rudeness, Boastfulness –
Imperialism.

 

Luis Lázaro Tijerina was born in Salina, Kansas. Mr. Tijerina has a Master of Art degree in history, concentration being military history and diplomacy. He is a published author of military theory, short stories, essays and poetry. Mr. Tijerina resides in Vermont.