“All You Have is A Country” by Ha Jin explores patriotism and how it can be negatively ingrained into someone’s personality.
Ha Jini is a contemporary Chinese poet whose poetry is characterized by its introspective and reflective nature. His works often explore themes of identity, journey, and culture, seeking to understand the complexities of the human experience. Such is demonstrated in his impressive 'All You Have is A Country' which considers the power of patriotism and how inescapable it can be for some people.
You are so poor that all you have is a country.
Whenever you open your mouth
you talk about the country
to which you can no longer return.