Get Your Premium Membership

Requiem For America

America the beautiful, where are your friends? They have left you to find some other ends; You who once stood for all that was right, Are now only seen as a fading light. You once were the head but now are the tail, For greatness you had has now grown pale; Once on top now great is your fall, The taste has turned as bitter as gall. Your birth was filled with blessings received, You never gave thanks and now are deceived; By every measure your prestige was great, But a new day has come and the hour is late. Whence comes the money to fight every war, In faraway lands you couldn't ignore; But you had an interest to protect what was yours, In spite of the fact your bedfellows were whores. Now that they see your purse running dry, They leave you, deceive you and you wonder why; For fields are far greener in other places, And smiles more friendly on foreign faces. You never listened or heeded the call, Now it is dreadful to watch as you fall; You now stand naked who once were so fair, Your sins exposed; your travesty bare. Your pristine waters have turned to mud, Your endless wars brought only shed blood; Your boundless fields of golden grain, Now withered away from lack of rain. Internal rot and external blight, Driven by pride to take your might; The debts you owe that you now can't pay, As you went perversely your stubborn way. The storms and floods have washed away Blessings and love you had yesterday; What is left but greed and crime, That follow your footsteps till the end of time. You live in denial and can’t face the cost, And now you reap the emptiness of loss; The rest of your neighbours, who follow your quest, Will find that they too will lose their rest.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2011




Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 7/18/2012 4:11:00 PM
My goodness! You have painted a pretty bleak picture, but, unfortunately, a true one. Your rhetoric is well received and digested by this reader. Well done, Elizabeth!
Login to Reply
Date: 2/11/2012 4:51:00 PM
The main problem being we know who our friends are but we have a leader with his nose up the enemy's butt. Even got a special prayer day for them on the lawn while ignoring our own. We need to start taking care of those who stood by us. From the Kingston Trio "When will they ever learn? When will they EVER learn?"
Login to Reply
Date: 9/19/2011 10:57:00 AM
Elizabeth, I read this in response to your thoughts concerning "Where have you gone America?" In retrospect, I wrote and posted that poem perhaps a little too quickly and am already thinking about a re-write based on this and other thoughts of mine. In sum, this is another deeply touching, thought provoking piece written by none other than you, of course! Bravo and wish I had read this sooner. Thanks again for the email(s) also - lovely book & I'll write more later. All smiles, Terry
Login to Reply
Date: 9/5/2011 9:35:00 AM
wow. what do i do? sit down and write something about Canida?
Login to Reply
Loving Iii Avatar
John Loving Iii
Date: 9/5/2011 9:37:00 AM
love us or leave us. john
Date: 8/1/2011 4:19:00 PM
The most dangerous core in the USA, are your C.I.A. <*> What trouble they have caused since their deliberate inception. It beggars belief that they recruited ex SS Officers because their interrogation skills were second to none. Yet they condemn other countries with their Human Rights. Superb piece Elizabeth, your quite a writer, and I so enjoy. Pleased to read you :)
Login to Reply
Loving Iii Avatar
John Loving Iii
Date: 9/5/2011 9:39:00 AM
we promote freedom in the american way. we fight terror with terror and will bow to none but God.
Date: 7/29/2011 11:29:00 AM
This is a tough read but it is true. Great write.
Login to Reply
Date: 7/25/2011 4:16:00 PM
Wow! This is brilliant, Elizabeth. I don't know why we keep interfering in the affairs of other countries, but we have certainly made some enemies. If there's a disaster in another country, we always provide aid. After Hurricane Katrina, England, Australia and Canada were they only ones who helped us. Incredible poem and I agree with everything you say here. Love, Carolyn
Login to Reply
Loving Iii Avatar
John Loving Iii
Date: 9/5/2011 9:42:00 AM
Carolyn, she degrading our credibility.
Date: 7/25/2011 3:12:00 PM
well said , we english feel the same way. what a world we live in.
Login to Reply
Date: 7/24/2011 8:02:00 PM
Really sad, but, Elizabeth, really true..you wrote well describing a situation in this country that troubles so many of us...thank you for telling it like it is, luv, Rich
Login to Reply
Loving Iii Avatar
John Loving Iii
Date: 9/5/2011 9:57:00 AM
we are the melting pot that must guard the world. for we are the world. they come to us for protection. We are there for that. when the world needs us there. and now that we ask them for a little help of carrying their own load they want to criticize. NAY,NAY,NAY! you wanted freedom and we bought it for you. is it too much that we ask that you pay some back.
Date: 7/24/2011 6:45:00 PM
So sad, but a lot of truth here. Let us not join the Romans in their silent tombs, pray. Powerful poem though, well done.
Login to Reply
Date: 7/24/2011 3:31:00 PM
In the face of desperate dominion. We do our best to quell our opinion. The shades of darkness are hard to hide. Even the best of us lose our pride. Your shoulders broad, are sagging low. The weight of knowledge, you just don't know. The sky is falling, it's all so appalling. I swear I can hear Jesus calling. We take a breath and cast our sail. But those in need aren't the one's we bail. Yes, the greed is beyond control. All that's left, is to pray for your soul.
Login to Reply
Date: 7/24/2011 12:21:00 PM
Its a brave step to express feeling of patriotism. Nice writing. I love the World, America is a part of it. Just continuing with trade cycle, after depression booms come. America is America. bl
Login to Reply
Date: 7/24/2011 10:13:00 AM
Elizabeth, thank you for the comments of my write "Ocean swells". I like this poem, no matter how dark it may seem. it rings of truth... I think this subject would make a wonderful contest-Michael H.
Login to Reply
Date: 7/24/2011 6:09:00 AM
hey Elizabeth, a fine poem, but am sure your country, like the phoenix will rise again, many thanks for your comments on my poems, David
Login to Reply
Date: 7/24/2011 4:47:00 AM
Empires come an empires go, on the eternal page of time, Aussies want to see you rise, though ! no matter hard the climb... great poem babe, xo, Don
Login to Reply
Date: 7/24/2011 4:11:00 AM
ohhh, a poetic rant that makes me reflect.. fine use of powerful imagery, elizabeth, wow! :) huggs, nette
Login to Reply
Date: 7/24/2011 2:47:00 AM
===Smile, *^_^* “Very Profound & Powerful Poem Pointing Unto A Light of Hope, Should Eyes See & Ears Hear??? = Although, No Other Nation Ever In The History of This World *^_^* Has Lifted `The Immaculate One's` Name Any Higher Than America! == Ahhh, The Paradox, The Irony & The Riddle???” === My Love to You Always, Jasper * Ps. Smile, “God Bless America, &, All of Life!” ~
Login to Reply
Date: 7/24/2011 2:37:00 AM
Smile, *^_^* “I Learned Years Ago That Never, Ever, Could I or Would I, Place A Blanket of Judgment Over An Entire Segment or Society or Civilization Because of The Darkened Deeds of A Few Lurking Amid The Passing Shadows = My Dear Precious & Priceless, Blessed & Beautiful Elizabeth *^_^* Tis Kind of As `Christ The King of Glory` Once Did Say & Says Today == `Greater, Is The Sin of Those Whom Led Me to You` *^_^*” === Cont}
Login to Reply
Date: 7/24/2011 12:23:00 AM
thanks for the comment...appreciated. . .*-* smile. . .a wonderful poem to share. . .enjoyed it. . .amazing write . . . *-* junjun
Login to Reply
Date: 7/24/2011 12:02:00 AM
I really like the way this poem was written. Our struggling country needs help and this is a great way to express that need.
Login to Reply

Book: Shattered Sighs