Why this July 4th lacked its normal punch

Cruise is single. Cooper’s gay.
Andy Griffith passed away.
And in the East
a windstorm stole
both lives and property.

The news this week has been quite sad
amid the picnics that we’ve had.
Our Uncle’s birthday
lacked the punch
it tends to always have.

Instead we’re sipping lemonade
while looking desperately for shade.
The scorching heat
has sapped our strength
and left us stressed and steamed.

And so we pray for cooler days
while contemplating all the ways
God’s blessed our country
even when
the headlines steal our joy.