We are falling,
Swept up into the vortex of a tornado
By the forces of evil,
No, by people of evil
Who watch gleefully
As the world they have set on edge
Twists out of our control.

We are falling,
Spinning madly,
Familiar objects fly by
Everything out of place,
Swirling, tumbling
Us, too.

We are falling,
No ground beneath our feet
Yet knowing that at some point
We must land.
Gravity demands it.
Where we will find ourselves
When the twister spins itself out
As surely it must?

We are falling
Into a new world not of our making.
(or is it?)
Will we recognize anything?
Ourselves?
Our country?
Will we be able to find among the rubble
The pieces we need to rebuild?
Will our grandchildren
Even know what it is possible to build,
Having no model for what democracy looks like?

We are falling
Because we had a republic
But did not keep it.