PITY THE NATION
Poetry
Reflections on Life
In this powerful poem, Grandma Stella shares Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s adaptation of Khalil Gibran’s work, reflecting on the state of a nation and its people. It serves as a poignant commentary on leadership, freedom, and societal values.
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 airwaves
Pity the nation that raises not its voice
Except to praise the conquerors
And acclaim the bully as hero
And aims to rule the world
By force and by torture
Pity the nation that knows
No other language but its own
Pity the nation whose very breath is money
And sleeps the sleep of the too well fed
Pity the nation, oh pity the people
Who allow their rights to erode
And their freedoms to be washed away
My country, tears of thee
Sweet land of liberty!