Let America be America Again
Let America be America again.
Let it be the dream it used to be.
Let it be the pioneer on the plain
Seeking a home where he himself is free.
(Ameriever was Amerie.)
Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed--
Let it be that great strong land of love
Where never kings ive nor tyrants scheme
That any man be crushed by one above.
(It never was Amerie.)
O, let my land be a land where Liberty
Is ed with no false patriotic wreath,
But opportunity is real, and life is free,
Equality is in the air we breathe.
(Theres never been equality for me,
Nor freedom in this "homeland of the free.")
Say, who are you that mumbles in the dark?
And who are you that draws your veil across the stars?
I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart,
I am the Negro bearing slaverys scars.
I am the red man driven from the land,
I am the immigrant clutg the hope I seek--
And finding only the same old stupid plan
Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak.
I am the young man, full of strength and hope,
Tangled in that a endless
Of profit, pain, of grab the land!
Of grab the gold! Of grab the ways of satisfying need!
Of work the men! Of take the pay!
Of owning everything for ones own greed!
I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil.
I am the worker sold to the mae.
I am the Negro, servant to you all.
I am the people, humble, hungry, mean--
Hungry yet today despite the dream.
Beateoday--O, Pioneers!
I am the man who never got ahead,
The poorest worker bartered through the years.
Yet Im the one who dreamt our basic dream
In the Old World while still a serf of kings,
Who dreamt a dream s, so brave, so true,
That eves mighty daring sings