A New National Anthem

“A New National Anthem” explores what it means to be an American. The speaker first develops a picture of American values and identity expressed in the current national anthem. According to “The Star-Spangled Banner,” American identity is defined in part by violence. There are the “war and bombs” (Line 5), and then there is the lack of refuge for “the hireling and the slave” (Line 12). The latter is less often said out loud, and yet it’s always present. Because of this, being American also means ignoring the troubling aspects of the country’s history. The high notes in “The Star-Spangled Banner” illustrate the American value for exceptionalism. The anthem includes notes that are “too high for most of us” (Line 3), so only those few who are skilled enough to reach those notes get to sing the song. Those individuals get the spotlight for their performance, demonstrating how Americans value individual achievement. The song itself, as a pre-sporting event ritual, is functionally a preamble to “the pummeling of youth” (Line 10), so its most important association is with physicality and strife. In summary, the kind of American showcased in “The Star-Spangled Banner” is a go-getter who wants to be the best, to fight, and to win.

The speaker paints a different picture of American identity in her new national anthem. Instead of placing the highest value on the strongest, most accomplished individuals, the new national anthem gives voice to Americans in need of hope. This imagined individual “has lost everything” (Line 21) and feels like “it’s too hard to go on” (Line 29). The new national anthem points to the similarities between people instead of the differences. These Americans value connectedness, seeking it through a song “that sounds like someone’s rough fingers weaving / into another’s” (Lines 30-31). In contrast to the current national anthem, this new national anthem showcases Americans who call out for connection in darkness.