To a Certain Rich Young Ruler

[toymachines]

White-fingered lord of murderous events,
Well are you guarding what your father gained;
With torch and rifle you have well maintained
The lot to which a heavenly providence
Has called you; laborers, risen in defense
Of liberty and life, lie charred and brained
About your mines, whose gutted hills are stained
With slaughter of those newer innocents.

Ah, but your bloody fingers clenched in prayer!
Your piety, which all the world has seen!
The godly odor spreading through the air
From your efficient charity machine!
Thus you rehearse for your high role up there,
Ruling beside the lowly Nazarene!

-Clemente Wood

This sonnet was written and circulated during the Colorado Coal Strikes of 1913, it seems fitting at this time.

[InsultComicDog]

1. I'm fascinated

I cannot imagine in this day and age that a labor union would be a place where eloquent sonnets were passed around.

[toymachines]

2. I was looking through The Cry for Justice

An anthology of the Great Social Protest literature of all time. It was put together by Upton Sinclair, very interesting book. I found it for five bucks at barnes and noble. Check out my blog for more excerpts from the book.