In the last of this series, American history continues through the present:

https://flic.kr/p/vCW1P4

A Nation In Need of Unity
by Michael Doyle

George  H. Bush struggled under Reagan's shadow
With his pedigree and skills he led well as most know
It was Bush not Reagan who saw the Cold War's end
But most of this was already in trend

Within a year of Tiananmen Square's suppression
Germans would tear down the Wall, reuniting as one nation
One by one, part by part, the Soviet Empire disintegrated
By the end of 1991, most of Europe was reintegrated

Bush kept his dignity in check with humility 
Even as all around him danced with overjoyed victory
With the Cold War ending, new challenges would come
It was important to prudently watch for where that would come

The arrangement for order with its variation of choices
Were as mixed as were its many toned choir of voices
Terrorism and rogue states reared their ugly heads
Global security was still needed as thugs caused dread

Iraq's invasion of Kuwait was against the intended Order
It took more than condemnation to push Hussein over the border
Operation Desert Storm's overwhelming force stopped the invasion
While attempting to successfully extricate our nation

It was a textbook attempt at the Containment Doctrine
Whose fatal flaw was in leaving a madman as sovereign 
Fukayama's thesis had declared its end to all history
The world was declared the oyster of liberal democracy

While some might find the new world order favored our nation
Others saw a looming clash between world civilizations
Huntington argued the coming clash between cultural ways of life
Historically and religiously would create much strife

This and other drift has led to a quarter century of discontent
Where those having differing values have risen as malcontents
Economics are not the only factor that is ever needed
To stand strong in the age of fracture this must be heeded

Commonality between all has given way to fractured living
Where each of a million voices want to take instead of giving
None of the administrations since the Cold War have made unity
And instead, we are more fractured than ever in our history

America's confidence has waned in almost all of our institutions
Disaffection has never loomed larger in our once great nation
Wishful thinking will not bring our nation back together
But to reintegrate is the only way to make things better

The imperilment of our national debt is beyond question
One of the most significant issues to confront without hesitation
Annual deficits are a low parade our nation in its sinking
Unsustainable in being and requiring much in the way of thinking

With the pandemic, we are adding trillions of debt each year
Governmental functions must very swiftly reverse gear
Yet nothing is being done about the debilitation
And almost all agree we must join in our rehabilitation

Both public and private debt trend toward our corruption
At best and at worse it leads to our nation's disruption
We are still a land of hope and shine even in this hour
And saving our country for our children is in our power

Study of the past serves to provide lessons in inspiration
Together we have faced far worse problems for our nation
There is a Chinese symbol meaning both crisis and change
And it with this thought that we must swiftly rearrange

We should not stay blinded by the seemingly exceptional now
But should refocus to our best truths in our somehow
Looking back to look ever more and increasingly forward
With the view of being borne ever increasingly toward..

       … our future

(c) April 13, 2020  Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved