AMERICA SWEET AMERICA

I love my country! We can conquer our issues.

 

 

Oh beautiful land of freedom

On whom our father’s died

Under who's purple mountains majesties

Was stolen our ancestor's pride

You crowned this land with brotherhood

but gave no throne to me

and yet we helped you build it

From sea to shining sea

 

We are the forgotten Negroes
The minutemen on Bunker Hill
Martyrs of the 54th Massachusetts
Charging to death on Fort Wagner’s hill

 

Though our dignity was broken
By our God we were refined
We worked the cotton fields of the stolen
By keeping our eyes on the divine

 

Oh beautiful land under Heaven
Of blessings an fruited plains
Don't you know you lands are sacred?
Don't you know your grounds are stained?
Anointed with the blood of "Wounded Knee"
And millions of slaves who yearned to be free

 

America! Sweet  America!
God has shed many tears on thee
For he gave you peace and brotherhood
But you hid it from people like me

 

No longer can you hiss and whisper
Nor turn to hide your shame
For if America is to be America
It must move beyond enameled pain

 

Yet, through it all my Sweet America
We stand undimmed by our ancestral tears
We still hold you to your sacred promise:
"Through hope; love will always endears"
We look beyond all your sheer pageantry
Evoking your simple words in time:
"All men are created equal"
To live as brothers under the divine

 

America! Sweet America!
God still sheds his grace on thee
Not because you are noble
But because you still allow men to live free!

 

Understand my Sweet America
How your grace has survived
It was given from the prayers of the wounded
that endured their pain here with pride

 

It was given by the Indians
whose land and blood you stole
It was given by the Slaves
Who you tore and never made whole
It was given by the new immigrants
beat to death coming into this land
It was given by the Asians
blown apart so your dams could stand

 

Oh Sweet Sweet America
Earn all our ancestor's pride
Stand for your bode of liberty
Let your truth and freedom never be lies
For the paths that were wrought for liberty
Were not only made by pilgrim's knee
they were opened by your multitude
Red, White, Black, and Free

 

Liberate yourself America
Deliver yourself from lies & strife
Hold to your sacred oath & promise
ALL MEN HAVE PRECIOUS LIFE!

 

© 2013 Eddie Phillips

Author's Note

I love my country. I have given 15 years of my life in the Navy defending her. I see America as a melting pot and a great country that has had problems. A person with a problem knows that the first step is admitting the problem and then honestly trying to correct it. That is what America has always done and what she should always do. I ask that people read the poem and really understand the message. We are all brothers & sisters in this great country and helped to shape it.

Reviews

[1 Deep]

Nice job here of being honest about how you feel about your country. This poem sounds patriotic while simultaneously attempting to not sweep ugly truths under the rug. I personally believe that many U.S. citizens have had a veil over their eyes forever, and the U.S will soon fall from its 'throne' .

[Eddie Phillips]

The people that believe that America sits on a throne are wrong. We are not kings. This poem talks fairly about issues in our countries past. Slavery, the murder and genocide of the American Indian, and the oppression of immigrants that came to live and work in this country. We all fall into these groups. I wrote America Sweet America to say that we are brothers and sisters under Heaven in a country that allows us to speak on our problems. I love my country. I have had family die in the black civil rights movement. I have served with men from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds. No matter where I have gone in this country I always find idiots! :) Yet they are sprinkles. I mostly find people who fight and love their community, family, and friends. Yes we have dark souls but we also have beacons of light. Those who are veiled chose to be veiled. Thanks for reading. I enjoyed the review.

[Constance Payne]

What a unique twist.
I feel blessed to live in America, yet often wonder what my life would have been were I to have been born elsewhere.
Speculation is the spice of life at times, it gives wings to ideas.
One day maybe the whole world can live in freedom.
My personal thoughts is that if we life by six simple rules /laws than this World would be a great place to be.
Wonderful read.

[Frieda P]

Not what I was expecting, good on you taking a stand. Love the message of brotherhood that comes through in your words here. Was surprised at your usage of Negro, since it's no longer PC, but it works of course in the way you reference it. We're not perfect, far from it, but there's no place else I'd rather live...Kudos my friend.

[Eddie Phillips]

Thank you for reading. This poem was a "message" poem but I wanted it to be clear that I love my country. I wake everyday and put on a uniform to defend her. I however see the problems of our past as a way to move on to a better future. Pains and problems just like joys and glories make us who we are. We can never be complete without all those things together. I wanted to talk about pain but speak also about a better future.

[Frieda P]

Many thanks for your efforts Eddie, and my pleasure.

[Strawberry]

As an English-person, patriotism is almost an alien thing. But this poem made me want to be American when I grow up.

[Eddie Phillips]

LOL thank you for reading. I am glad you saw the patriotism in the poem.

[Chidoriflower]

God bless you, sir. It is true, that America has its faults, its past transgressions. Humans are prone to mistakes. In liberty, we hope to persevere. Thank you for sharing this. Life, liberty and happiness.

[Eddie Phillips]

We must embrace those past transgressions. Honest and open acceptance of who we are compels us to strive for a better future. I do not prescribe to the notion that we should just move on from our past. Like our childhood, our past shapes who and what we are today. Thank you for reading.

[Chidoriflower]

Yes, looking back on our past transgressions helps us not to repeat it; it helps us carry on. You're very welcome.

[A. H. Pinley]

Nice poem, but anyone is trying to sweep anything under the rug. I thing moving beyond our history is what's in order. Because here you try to lay guilt at my feet. We Americans are bigger than past, but like I've said before, we can choose to be free men or we continue to be slaves to the past.

[Eddie Phillips]

No one is trying to lay guilt. None of us were or owned slaves. We can not simply "get beyond" our past. We have to face it. We have to know it is a part of us. There is racial hate and misunderstanding in this country. It not just white/black. Its race, wealth, age, sex, etc. If America is to be America she must learn from her past like a child learning to walk. Our forefathers knew this. It is not guilt. It is the truthful statement that ALL MEN are brothers in America and deserve to share and live in freedom together without hiding or side talking problems. A true family knows its history. Bad and good they know it and talk about it if they see a family member going back into darkness. We have to be that way. We are not slaves of our past. We are illuminated by it. Thanks for reading and giving a thoughtful review as always. :)

[Andrew (MJ) Nugteren]

A man and just simply awesome, awesome truthful stuff...a lot of emotion.
great job and keep it up

[Eddie Phillips]

it came off emotional because I passionately believe in what I wrote. Thanks for reading brother.

[Andrew (MJ) Nugteren]

no problem Brother from another mother lolz

[Derek Nall]

Awesome awesome truthful stuff...a lot of emotion

[Eddie Phillips]

Thanks for reading brother. I like this poem and I wrestled with sharing it for over a week. It leaves no room for supposition. It has a truthful message of unity and compassion. Thanks for reading and connecting with it.