Ode to Petroleum and Pharmaceuticals

I never thought I'd ever live
to watch my nation freely give
It's integrity and it's class
For little pills and cheaper gas.

I never thought I'd see the day,
When democracy up and ran away
When the torch on the Statue of Liberty
Was the symbol of all that was not free.

I never thought I'd hear it said
That the freedom for which my fathers bled
Had been sold to the pharma-kings and big oil
And that they alone would benefit from my toil.

I never thought I'd live to see
The silencing of the brave and muzzling of the free
to prevent them from saying with voices raised loud
when this is all wrong for fear of the crowd.

I never thought it would come to pass
when the vellum we stored under glass
and claim as our precious source of light
could be used to bring about endless night.

I never thought it could come to this
that in our greed we could be so remiss
To set aside the cries of both the poor and the needy.
And forget...it's about We the people, not you the greedy.