News at Eleven: Thirteen colonies banded together

to form the United States of America in 1776. Today, as we celebrate our country's anniversary, we've pulled together 13 poems about America--some celebratory, others more conflicted--from Walt Whitman writing in the 19th century to current California Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera. Here are some excerpts. All of the poems can be found in full at the Poetry Foundation Happy Fourth of July!

[by John Brehm]

"Fourth of July"

Freedom is a rocket,

from The Los Angeles Times: 13 poems about America for the Fourth of July

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