I wrote “Who will Remember” some time around May 1st as it brought to memory the excitement of preparing to march on Mayday. My Papa would proudly announce, “Today we march for workers rights.”
When I’m gone who will remember?
The IWW, Wobblies, oh the
International Workers of the World,
Their free speech fight.
The Little Red Song book
“To Fan the Flames of the Discontent.”
We held the Fort when
Union men were strong.
God how I worry.
Who will remember?
Union Square glowed in candlelight.
The year of one nine two seven.
1927 if you please.
A sea of humans bathed in tears.
None who knew
Two Italian anarchists
Framed to die.
Who will remember?
I Talian Anarchist poet
Arturo Giovannitti
Whispered in a little boys ear--
Two things matter, only two.
Women first, revolution second.
Who will remember?
May you want to remember
Nelson Rockefeller?
Dead atop Meagan M--
Poor girl.
Who will remember
May Day long ago?
Not for Maypole dancing.
Dawn to dusk
We marched, sang, chanted.
Fifth Avenue came alive.
We marched, sang, chanted--
Free Mooney and Billings
And the Scottsboro Boys.
Black and white unite and fight.
Higher wages, and yes oh yes,
Socialism, free at last.
Shaggy haired Lewis
Coal union leader. Bellowed!
“No human should work
In the bowels of hell.”
The sit down strikers of Flint.
The women their wash-lines
Hoisted food into the windows.
Who will remember?
The Lawrence textile strike.
The soldiers came.
The children went
On train rides to safety.
Could this be the beginning?
A new day dawning
And we sang
“The Commonwealth of toil.”
“We have a glowing dream.
Oh how fair the world will seem
When the earth is owned by labor
And there's joy and peace for all
In this commonwealth of toil that is to be.”
There were small victories.
Eugene Victor Debs
Leader, lifelong socialist
Sent to prison for hating war and
Released in 1926 said
No man is free as long as others are caged.
My high up view
From Papa’s shoulders.
My little body shook, trembled
As this hall of thousands
Showered down their love
To the skinny tall man on the stage.
Will it all just blow away
With the flotsam and jetsam of history?
Who will remember?
Robert Schrank - 2008
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1 comment:
Robert,
Thank you for your book "Ten Thousand Working Days," which I regard as a national treasure and hope never goes out of print. I was just flipping through it yet again which inspired me to write a quick review on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/review/product/0262690640
I'm amazed to see you are still going strong, with your blog. Do you still give talks? I would love to take you out for dinner or lunch or just a coffee if you're up for it.
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