Alexis de Tocqueville crossed ocean blue
Back to native France in'32
Away from America he did voyee
With a view of democracy still respected today;
Over one hundred years later, long past, indeed,
These words still remain as powerful seeds
To stir each man without digress
As he recognized the freedom which he does possess.

These words have molded a feeling in me,
A new view, a new light, on democracy.
I've discovered public opinion's occasionally a curse,
A point de Tocqueville mentions in many a verse.
Public opinion is often maintained
When men forsake personal feelings and gains.
They become "less strong" and sink to the crowd
Which threatens democracy, in a way brash and loud.
Democracy means to give voice to all,
But is threatened when its great virtues fall
By way of public opinion, and to be sure,
I'll try not to bow down to that anymore!
What's democracy if only a few 'rule the show'?
Just how can it augment, or prosper, or grow?

Another point with de Tocqueville does state
Is the role of media and its little constraint.
When organs of press do combine, he does say,
Their influence is irresistible; man can't turn away.
Our newspapers indeed fuel "common action"
And by them stir fits of revolution and passion.
They make our country tick, they make it hum,
And endowed with democracy, their work's never done!
This idea of de Tocqueville struck me indeed;
Sometimes I haven't paid free press much heed,
Nor the privilege we have of free speech and ideals,
Something for which foreign countries do kill
And battle for, like France, de Tocqueville's own home;
That's why, with America, de Tocqueville had known
What a true gift we have with our press so free,
A gift overlooked in this present cent'ry.
Democracy, it seems, is unique in its plenty
Of ideas and thinking and its presenting to many.
It does not keep people masked in confusion,
As it works to dispel both mistruths and delusion.
A good which I've learned we must respect and address.

As a reader, I've learned oh such a great deal
Concerning democracy from Alexis de Tocqueville!
I've learned about the evils of public opinion,
Which gives a few individuals total dominion.
The press, as well, coupled with freedom of speech
has proved to me the benefits it gives to each
Woman and man and child; and it's true,
That the importance of democracy as society's tool
Is great indeed, and promotes equality
Liberty, freedom, justice, autonomy.
One-hundred and sixty-six later than when
de Tocqueville first picked up his finest quill pen
And copied Democracy in America, I'm sure
he had little idea that this book would lure
A young Pittsburgh high schooler into the sea
Of something we relish, called democracy.