"America, America.....how oft I would have gathered you as a hen
gathers her chickens, and you would not. I offered you peace, you
preferred war. I gave you prosperity, and you squandered it on your
lusts. I offered you eternal happiness, and you traded it for the rags
of present comfort and consumerism. I offered you a place in the
Kingdom of God and you walked away to build your own kingdoms. America,
America.....where is the Beautiful land I once knew? From sea to shining
sea, you are crawling with worms, and ripe for destruction."
Edited one more time: 5/5/2006
America, now full of lies
And hearts of lust for gain
You rid yourself of Heaven's ties
To give yourselves a name
America, America, God shed His grace on thee
But you would not do as He taught
Your gods are pride and greed
O beautiful for alien feet
Who for their lives still press
A thoroughfare in cold and heat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God sees thine every flaw,
Come mend your soul, renew your goal,
And understand My law!
O beautiful, your heroes prove In instigating strife
That more than God themselves they love
And mammon more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Your great success lacks nobleness
Your gain not so divine!
O beautiful for troubled dreams
That see beyond the years
Your alabaster cities gleam
With dew of human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Now, crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O Beautiful, your coffers filled
With gold from other lands
Whose children die, your missiles killed,
Their blood is on your hands!
America, America who told you men should die
To justify with others' blood
Your grand delusion's lies?
Oh Beautiful, return to Me
And let Me lead you on
Along the road where you should be
For which I made you strong......
America, America, come mend your every way
And shine again, a place for men
To live a better way
©
Karen L Kelly 2006
photos from google image search
Comments (18)
RYC: I think it is just all stressed related.
I liked the photo from your last post.
If you could write a new stanza with "WWIII" in it, as it's official: Bush calls his war on terror "WWIII" http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,19043507-38198,00.html
"And he doeth great wonders,
so that he maketh fire come down
from heaven on the earth in the sight
of men..." Rev 13
So, David Webb, former singer for Caedmon's Call, has put out an album in his own name and his former evangelical friends are calling for his head because he 1) says that if Jesus were talking to the rich young ruler today he would tell him to sell his SUV and give the money to the poor and 2) he says that Jesus is not a white Republican. People get up and leave his concerts during that song.
Bono was in town last night and said that America should help Africa as its national tithe to God. Instead, we are sqaundering our tithe on war and promoting McDonalds in Arab countries.
God is not impressed with our politics.
Oh, Bushie ... I got my pruning shears sharpened!
Wow! Well-written! Chilling, but so much of truth here. I, being in work with the poor so often, especially appreciate the references to the greed and consumerism rampant around us.
I'm on my way to ggpd's; thanks for the tip!