Possible Clues:

• It's found in poetry?
• 'My Country, ___ of Thee'
• '-- a pity ...'
• Christmas song contraction
• "Whether ___ nobler in the mind ..." (Hamlet)
• Seasonal contraction
• 'Not stand up, so it is (' 3)'
• "My country __ ..."
• It's in poetry?
• ''___ better to have loved ...''