My Country 'Tis of Thee
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You, my homeland
Are of a beauty unrivaled
From one coast to the other
Your plains and rolling hills and pointy peaks
Cry to the heavens of freedom
Your jagged coasts and sandy keys
Offer the arms of welcome and opportunity to the world
And teem with the gifts of the oceans
Lakes and rivers and streams
Born with purity in the snow-crusted mountains
Are the lifeblood of the people
Bubbling with earth's finest bounty
And carrying the breath of all creation on their backs
From cities bulging with people
To a wilderness, untouched and untamed
You are the envy of the earth
And the bosom of liberty
America.
I live here
In the United States
Yes, I'm proud
Proud of where I live
Blessed to have been born in a place
Where I can chase a dream
Where I can speak my mind without fear of punishment or death
Worship, (or not), in the way I choose
Get healthcare, schooling, and assistance in a number of ways
Learn to drive and get a license when I reached 15
Vote at age 18 in a democratic process
And follow the interests I decide on, freely
These are extraordinary things
When you think of the restrictions
Of much of the rest of the world
I was taught from an early age not to take these things for granted
And that many of my opportunities and rights
Had been paid and fought for
By the energies and lives of our people in military service
I'm thankful for that
Whatever others may say, to me this is the greatest country
We are usually the first to be called upon
When another country needs help
And usually the first to respond, in any way we can
But we are also the largest target
And take much of the blame for negative things that happen
No matter where it is
And yes, that bothers me.
There IS no perfect place, and certainly not this
But it is a land of freedom and opportunity
And people move here from all over the world for those reasons
I was blessed to be born when I was -
When a kid could go for a walk and not end up on a milk carton
But I was even MORE blessed to be born WHERE I was
And I thank the heavens every day
That I am an American.
Copyright © Gregory Richard Barden | Year Posted 2018
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