By my Land of Birth do not judge me my gift of life only by chance <br />I might have been born in Italy or I might have been born in France <br />I might have been born in Africa or Asia or north by Siberia's cold shore <br />If you judge me judge me as an individual I do ask of you nothing more. <br /> <br />I might have been born in Australia or New Zealand or Canada or the U S of A <br />Or a South American Country from where I was born far away <br />Or a Middle Eastern Nation of such places I only have read <br />I am from Millstreet in Duhallow and I am Irish born and bred. <br /> <br />I might have been born in London in New York or Paris or Rome <br />But I was born in Claraghatlea North the place I refer to as home <br />I might have been born in the tropics or in some big town in Brazil <br />Instead I was born near Millstreet less than a mile from Clara hill. <br /> <br />To others you always bad mouth me you've chosen to be my enemy <br />But by my Land of birth do not judge me or do not judge my race because of me <br />But if you judge me judge me as an individual leave my Race and Country alone <br />And if you are not one without blemish then you ought to not cast the stone. <br /> <br /> <br />--------------------<br /><br />Francis Duggan<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/by-my-land-of-birth/
