I am rustic county fairs,

reeking with the smell of fried food and cotton candy
and running wild with children of all ages
jumping off one ride and onto another.

I am the hipsters
unwinding at the local Starbucks,
savoring their nonfat, sugar free, soy, vanilla latté
while searching the web for the latest underground social media site.

I am Sunday night football
at home surrounded by family and friends                           
with the chips and salsa that goes flying,
spilling all over the most unfortunate person
as the crowd gathered around the table
leaps in excitement.

I am fast food chains
serving up diabetes and heart disease
along with a side of fries
that are sure to meet your weekly requirements for salt in one serving

I am Lady Gaga concerts
packed with fans confident enough
to dress themselves entirely out of bubbles
or to wear the smallest scarlet red speedo.

I am the sparkling modified automobiles
suited with a brand new paint job
and a sound system that vibrates the entire vehicle
as it races down the empty streets in the dead of night.

I am the millennials growing older each day
influencing the world’s viewpoints,
changing the norm as we speak
being bold, being brave, being radical enough to change the future
but when it comes to using technology of the past,
they’re out of sight!

I am selfies on social media sites
that are filtered and edited
to hide the natural beauty
that is mistaken as flaws.

I am teenage girls speeding down streets,
running red lights,
and cutting off other cars,
all to get those shoes that just went on sale at Nordstroms.

I am innocent children
wandering through the dark and cold October night
with bags bulging with candy
clothed as demons, witches, and ghosts
screaming “TRICK OR TREAT!” at every house.

I am Thanksgiving dinners embraced by loved ones
relishing freshly baked apple pies,
perfectly mashed potatoes and most importantly,
the famously seasoned and stuffed Thanksgiving turkey.

I am the man who walked the moon,
making that one small step
upon an unknown land
that made a great leap for mankind.

I am the parents
struggling paycheck to paycheck
working double shifts to be able to
provide their children with the required necessities

I am the streets that by day
are walked by eager business men and women
ready to start their day and support their family,
but by night are walked by lost souls
doing anything to just get by.

I am America.
I am modern, I am old fashioned,
I am free, I am enslaved,
I am wise, I am foolish,
I am Mac, I am PC,
I am what I am.
I am country brought together
by diverse cultures
mixing, mingling, and blending into one,
erasing the previous labels on people of different origins
and labeling them for what they are,
Americans.