America the Sorrowful (and Hopeful): A Rewrite

America the Sorrowful (and Hopeful)

So sorrowful as each one dies
For warnings all in vain,
For ever-mounting casualties
From policies insane!
America! America!
We shed our tears for thee,
And hope for good and brotherhood
The next four years to see.

Original verse, to demonstrate the consistency in rhyme scheme, cadence, and meter:

America the Beautiful

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee,
And crowned thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

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Diane de Anda

Diane de Anda is a third generation Latina and retired UCLA professor. Tired of cranking out technical articles in a "publish or perish" atmosphere, she now spends most of her time writing adult fiction, children's books, parody, and satire.Her weapon of choice is the limerick, aimed with humor and a touch of malice at society's icons, celebrities, politicians, and other irritating folk.