I love my country
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By which I mean
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I am indebted joyfully
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To all the people throughout its history
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Who have fought the government to make right
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Where so many cunning sons and daughters
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Our foremothers and forefathers
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Came singing through slaughter
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Came through hell and high water
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So that we could stand here
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And behold breathlessly the sight
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How a raging river of tears
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Cut a grand canyon of light
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Yes, I've bin so many places
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Flown through vast empty spaces
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With stewardesses whose hands
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Look much older than their faces
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I've tossed so many napkins
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Into that big hole in the sky
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Bin at the bottom of the Atlantic
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Seething in a two-ply
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Looking up through all that water
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And the fishes swimming by
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And I don't always feel lucky
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But I'm smart enough to try
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Cuz humility has buoyancy
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And above us only sky
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So I lean in
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Breathe deeper that brutal burning smell
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That surrounds the smoldering wreckage
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That I've come to love so well
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Yes, color me stunned and dazzled
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By all the red white and blue flashing lights
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In the American intersection
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Where black crashed head on with white
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Comes a melody
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Comes a rhythm
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A particular resonance
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That is us and only us
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Comes a screaming ambulance
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A hand that you can trust
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Laid steady on your chest
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Working for the better good
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(Which is good at its best)
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And too, bearing witness
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Like a woman bears a child...
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With all her might
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Born of the greatest pain
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Into a grand canyon of light
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I mean, no song has gone unsung here
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And this joint is strung crazy tight
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And people bin raising up their voices
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Since it just ain't bin right
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With all the righteous rage
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And all the bitter spite
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That will accompany us out
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Of this long night
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That will grab us by the hand
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When we are ready to take flight
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Seatback and traytable
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In the upright and locked position
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Shocked to tears by each new vision
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Of all that my ancestors have done
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Like, say, the women who gave their lives
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So that I could have one
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People, we are standing at ground zero
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Of the feminist revolution
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Yeah, it was an inside job
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Stoic and sly
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One we're supposed to forget
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And downplay and deny
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But I think the time is nothing
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If not nigh
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To let the truth out
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Coolest f-word ever deserves a fucking shout!
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I mean
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Why can't all decent men and women
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Call themselves feminists?
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Out of respect
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For those who fought for this
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I mean, look around
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We have this
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Yes
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I love my country
|
By which I mean
|
I am indebted joyfully
|
To all the people throughout its history
|
Who have fought the government to make right
|
Where so many cunning sons and daughters
|
Our foremothers and forefathers
|
Came singing through slaughter
|
Came through hell and high water
|
So that we could stand here
|
And behold breathlessly the sight
|
How a raging river of tears
|
Is cutting a grand canyon of light
|
|
-----------------
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Grand Canyon
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Ani DiFranco |