By my Land of Birth do not judge me my gift of life only by chance
I might have been born in Italy or I might have been born in France
I might have been born in Africa or Asia or north by Siberia's cold shore
If you judge me judge me as an individual I do ask of you nothing more.

I might have been born in Australia or New Zealand or Canada or the U S of A
Or a South American Country from where I was born far away
Or a Middle Eastern Nation of such places I only have read
I am from Millstreet in Duhallow and I am Irish born and bred.

I might have been born in London in New York or Paris or Rome
But I was born in Claraghatlea North the place I refer to as home
I might have been born in the tropics or in some big town in Brazil
Instead I was born near Millstreet less than a mile from Clara hill.

To others you always bad mouth me you've chosen to be my enemy
But by my Land of birth do not judge me or do not judge my race because of me
But if you judge me judge me as an individual leave my Race and Country alone
And if you are not one without blemish then you ought to not cast the stone.


--------------------

Francis Duggan

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/by-my-land-of-birth/