第1章

ChantsforSocialistsTheDayisComingTheVoiceofToilNoMasterAllfortheCauseTheMarchoftheWorkersDownAmongtheDeadMenADeathSongMayDay[1892]

MayDay，1894

TheMessageoftheMarchWindTHEDAYISCOMING

Comehither，lads，andhearken，foratalethereistotell，Ofthewonderfuldaysa—coming，whenallshallbebetterthanwell.

Andthetaleshallbetoldofacountry，alandinthemidstofthesea，AndfolkshallcallitEnglandinthedaysthataregoingtobe.

TheremorethanoneinathousandinthedaysthatareyettocomeShallhavesomehopeofthemorrow，somejoyoftheancienthome.

Forthen——laughnot，butlistentothisstrangetaleofmine—

AllfolkthatareinEnglandshallbebetterlodgedthanswine.

Thenamanshallworkandbethinkhim，andrejoiceinthedeedsofhishand，Noryetcomehomeintheeventoofaintandwearytostand.

Meninthattimea—comingshallworkandhavenofearForto—morrow\'slackofearningandthehunger—wolfanear.

Itellyouthisforawonder，thatnomanthenshallbegladOfhisfellow\'sfallandmishaptosnatchattheworkhehad.

Forthatwhichtheworkerwinnethshallthenbehisindeed，Norshallhalfbereapedfornothingbyhimthatsowednoseed.

Ostrangenewwonderfuljustice！Butforwhomshallwegatherthegain？

Forourselvesandforeachofourfellows，andnohandshalllabourinvain.

ThenallMineandallThineshallbeOurs，andnomoreshallanymancraveForrichesthatservefornothingbuttofetterafriendforaslave.

AndwhatwealththenshallbeleftuswhennoneshallgathergoldTobuyhisfriendinthemarket，andpinchandpinethesold？

Nay，whatsavethelovelycity，andthelittlehouseonthehill，Andthewastesandthewoodlandbeauty，andthehappyfieldswetill;

Andthehomesofancientstories，thetombsofthemightydead;

Andthewisemenseekingoutmarvels，andthepoet\'steeminghead;

Andthepainter\'shandofwonder;andthemarvellousfiddle—bow，Andthebandedchoirsofmusic：allthosethatdoandknow.

Foralltheseshallbeoursandallmen\'s，norshallanylackashareOfthetoilandthegainoflivinginthedayswhentheworldgrowsfair.

Ah！sucharethedaysthatshallbe！Butwhatarethedeedsofto—day，Inthedaysoftheyearswedwellin，thatwearourlivesaway？

Why，then，andforwhatarewewaiting？Therearethreewordstospeak：

WEWILLIT，andwhatisthefoemanbutthedream—strongwakenedandweak？

Owhyandforwhatarewewaiting？Whileourbrothersdroopanddie，Andoneverywindoftheheavensawastedlifegoesby.

Howlongshalltheyreproachuswherecrowdoncrowdtheydwell，Poorghostsofthewickedcity，thegold—crushedhungryhell？

Throughsqualidlifetheylaboured，insordidgrieftheydied，Thosesonsofamightymother，thosepropsofEngland\'spride.

Theyaregone;thereisnonecanundoit，norsaveoursoulsfromthecurse;

Butmanyamillioncometh，andshalltheybebetterorworse？

Itiswemustanswerandhasten，andopenwidethedoorFortherichman\'shurryingterror，andtheslow—foothopeofthepoor.

Yea，thevoicelesswrathofthewretched，andtheirunlearneddiscontent，Wemustgiveitvoiceandwisdomtillthewaiting—tidebespent.

Come，then，sinceallthingscallus，thelivingandthedead，Ando\'erthewelteringtangleaglimmeringlightisshed.

Come，then，letuscastofffooling，andputbyeaseandrest，FortheCAUSEaloneisworthytillthegooddaysbringthebest.

Come，joinintheonlybattlewhereinnomancanfail，Wherewhosofadethanddieth，yethisdeedshallstillprevail.

Ah！come，castoffallfooling，forthis，atleast，weknow：

ThattheDawnandtheDayiscoming，andforththeBannersgo.

THEVOICEOFTOIL

Iheardmensaying，Leavehopeandpraying，Alldaysshallbeasallhavebeen;

To—dayandto—morrowbringfearandsorrow，Thenever—endingtoilbetween.

WhenEarthwasyoungermidtoilandhunger，Inhopewestrove，andourhandswerestrong;

Thengreatmenledus，withwordstheyfedus，Andbadeusrighttheearthlywrong.

Goreadinstorytheirdeedsandglory，Theirnamesamidstthenamelessdead;

Turnthenfromlyingtousslow—dyingInthatgoodworldtowhichtheyled;

Wherefastandfasterourironmaster，Thethingwemade，foreverdrives，BidsusgrindtreasureandfashionpleasureForotherhopesandotherlives.

Wherehomeisahovelanddullwegrovel，Forgettingthattheworldisfair;

Wherenobabewecherish，lestitsverysoulperish;

Whereourmirthiscrime，ourloveasnare.

Whonowshallleadus，whatgodshallheedusAswelieinthehellourhandshavewon？

Forusarenorulersbutfoolsandbefoolers，Thegreatarefallen，thewisemengone.

Iheardmensaying，Leavetearsandpraying，Thesharpknifeheedethnotthesheep;

Arewenotstrongerthantherichandthewronger，Whendaybreaksoverdreamsandsleep？

Come，shouldertoshouldereretheworldgrowsolder！

Helpliesinnoughtbuttheeandme;

Hopeisbeforeus，thelongyearsthatboreusBoreleadersmorethanmenmaybe.

Letdeadheartstarryandtradeandmarry，Andtremblingnursetheirdreamsofmirth，WhilewethelivingourlivesaregivingTobringthebrightnewworldtobirth.

Come，shouldertoshoulderereearthgrowsolderTheCausespreadsoverlandandsea;

Nowtheworldshaketh，andfearawakethAndjoyatlastfortheeandme.

NOMASTER

Saithmantoman，We\'veheardandknownThatwenomasterneedToliveuponthisearth，ourown，Infairandmanlydeed.

ThegriefofslaveslongpassedawayForushathforgedthechain，Tillnoweachworker\'spatientdayBuildsuptheHouseofPain.

Andwe，shallwetoo，crouchandquail，Ashamed，afraidofstrife，AndlestourlivesuntimelyfailEmbracetheDeathinLife？

Nay，cryaloud，andhavenofear，Wefewagainsttheworld;

Awake，arise！thehopewebearAgainstthecurseishurled.

Itgrowsandgrows——arewethesame，Thefeebleband，thefew？

Orwhatarethesewitheyesaflame，Andhandstodealanddo？

Thisisthehostthatbearstheword，NoMASTERHIGHORLOW

Alightningflame，ashearingsword，Astormtooverthrow.