Pity the Nation

PITY THE NATION
By Lawrence Ferlinghetti
(Inspired by Kahtil Gibran)
Pity the nation whose people are sheep And whose shepherds mislead them
Pity the nation whose leaders are liars
Whose sages are silenced
and whose bigots haunt the airways
Pity the nation that raises not its voice but aims to rule the world by force and by torture And knows
No other language but its own
Pity the nation whose breath is money and sleeps the sleep of the too well fed
Pity the nation Oh pity the people of my country
My country, tears of thee
Sweet land of liberty!