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“PITY THE NATION”Pity the nation whose people are sheepAnd whose shepherds mislead themPity the nation whose leaders are liarsWhose sages are silencedAnd whose bigots haunt the airwavesPity the nation that raises not its voiceExcept to praise conquerorsAnd acclaim the bully as heroAnd aims to rule the worldBy force and by torturePity the nation that knowsNo other language but its ownAnd no other culture but its ownPity the nation whose breath is moneyAnd sleeps the sleep of the too well fedPity the nation oh pity the peoplewho allow their rights to erodeand their freedoms to be washed awayMy country, tears of theeSweet land of liberty!copyright Lawrence Ferlingetti