I am not salt, I am not spice, I am not pepper, nor flavor, nor bite.

I am not anything, I am American.

I am not the wind, nor the flag flapping,

I am not the horns trumpeting nor the drum tapping.

I am not anything, I am American.

I am not the lie of the fools, nor the truth of the humble,

I am not the millions dead, nor the infants deplorable,

I am not the silent, nor the blameless,

I am not anything, I am American.

I am not the the ancient nor the new,

I am not the wrinkles of age, nor the red flush of youth,

I am not the color of the soul, nor the blankness of the canvas,

I am not anything, I am American.

I am not the joke, nor the laughter,

I am not the crowd giggling, nor the jester cackling,

I am not the people bleeding, nor the greedy grinning,

I am not the war-scorned, battle-deafened, nor the prideful medal-wearer,

I am not anything, I am American.

I am not the yearning hope of a cloudy dream, nor the forgotten seed rotting in the dusty field,

I am not the storm and it’s dark scowl, nor the brooding dark unknown to God,

I am not the godless nor the praying, I have no scripture, I have no tablet from lightning-handed deities,

I have no weight of glory, nor slate of emptiness, I am not the artist painting, nor the critic barking,

I am not the strong willed, I am not spirit choking,

I am not anything, I am American.