Way down in the basement
She finds to her amazement
A diary from when she was a girl
A time of high promise
Her face so pure and honest
Without a care or concern
But that was then america
Now we know what we are worth
This is now america
This is your place in the world
No bridge across divides
A drunken joyride
With a monkey at the wheel
Foreclosed on a bad loan
Now they lost their home
Wolves snapping at their heels
Shooting stars and muscle cars
Fairy-lights and apple pie
Now we wonder where they are
The birds in the sky
This is now america
Oh how little we have learned
This is now america
Is there no way to return?
She longs for simpler times
Less clutter on her mind
Like it should have been
She lies awake at night
So hard to reconcile
All the remnants of her dream
Shooting-sprees in her school-yard
Border walls and prison guards
Now we wonder where we are
Drones in the sky
This is now america
Now we know what we're worth
This is now america
This is your place in the world
This is now america
Oh how little we have learned
This is now america
Is there no way to return?