… Mr. Trump [promised] that this year’s fireworks display will break a Guinness World Record by exploding more than 860,000 shells.

MORNING NORTHER, HILL COUNTY, TEXAS
The wind trees up,
rousing leaf rabble,
a scramble of squirrel.
Water kettled, coffee ground, storm brewing.

Clouds muscled like a ton of riled bull
In the chute — dark, bowed up, lowering.
Prophets’ eye fire streaks, thunder clobbers its drum.
Rain dropkicks the sink window pane.

Ear pulsing to the fray,
I will my little house stout:
Ride it out, I say.
I say, ride it out.

Happy 250 Fourth. Better days ahead.

(c) 2026 JMN — EthicalDative. All rights reserved