"Declaration" by Tracy K. Smith

"Declaration" is an erasure poem of the Declaration of Independence. Tracy K. Smith was named U.S. poet laureate in 2017.

Declaration
by Tracy K. Smith 

He has 

              sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people

He has plundered our—

                                           ravaged our—

                                                                         destroyed the lives of our—

taking away our­—

                                  abolishing our most valuable—

and altering fundamentally the Forms of our—

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for
Redress in the most humble terms:

                                                                Our repeated 
Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury.

We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration
and settlement here.

                                    —taken Captive
                                              
                                                                    on the high Seas

                                                                                                     to bear—

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