America?
by Shadi Hamid

Where have you gone ?
I used to believe in you
I wanted to believe that you could save me
You were a dream to me
Now you are a nightmare

You were supposed to stand for something great
But now you just irritate, escalate, and devastate
I just want to evacuate
My own mind

You were founded upon great ideals
Liberty, freedom, and justice
Is what I thought you stood for
You could have been something special

Now, I worry that is too late
too late to return
too late to go back
too late to hope
tool late to believe 

But I know pessimism is not the answer
I know that I can't give up hope
because if I did
I would have nothing else

Still, I wish you could stop 
You eat away at my heart
You really do 
And I have no where else to go

I thought I had become part of you
But now I see you walking away
as if you don't even know me
I am your child, though
And if you turn your back on me
Then you will be turning your back on yourself
 

© 2003 Shadi Hamid