O my Motherland,
I bow to thee and do thee
Obeisance.
You are bountiful and caring;
You make me survive
Even when I am starving.
O Motherland,
You give me strength to labour
In sickness and in houseless travail.
They deny me medicine
And a minimum wage,
But in my love of you,
I prevail.
When the floods come,
And the pandemic rages,
My hutment is washed away,
And fever wracks my body;
But I pray to thee
And draw sustenance from ages
Of wisdom left us by sages
Who taught us never to strive
Against our destiny,
But to look beyond our pain
To rewards that await us
In the hereafter where the oppressors
Will surely lose their earthly dividends
To our sumptuous and eternal gain.
O Motherland, governments
Come and go, but you remain.
You teach me to disregard governments,
And the cruelties they vent on me,
And to be steady and whole
In the spiritual force my hunger
Bestows upon my loyal soul.
O best of all Motherlands,
I bow to thee again and again.
In my love of thee and thy care
Of me, I glory and feel no pain.
My stunted children see my
Prayerful resolve, my doubtless bows,
And learn how to live uncomplaining lives.
O Motherland, in your grace of giving
Everything thrives.
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