Labor Day

Workers of the world,

Peasants, miners, assembly line workers, painters, cotton pickers, fruit pickers,

Farmers, bakers, waiters, street cleaners, garbage pickers—

Unite!

Combine your pent up energy, question the scales,

Question your boss’ accounting,

Ask about your pay. 

Unite.

Gather in great numbers wearing your caps and coveralls,

Mass your energy, weave a web of human will,

Sending upon the web this message:

We want justice.  We want just wages.

We want safe work places.  

Unite,

And know that those who hire you,

Those whose goods you produce, whose things you make,

Know that they have an inner hunger, too,

Know that they, too, want justice.

Know that they have in them a giant worm,

Knawing and belching restlessly.

In time, workers of the world,

You will win.

You will triumph.

Courage.                                  

Workers of the world,

Unite!

--September 1, 2013