Workers' Rhapsody

By Saswat PattanayakAll the while, all the whileFreedom mile, all the whileBeen oppressed, all the whileExploited, all the whileSet me free, set me freeIncarcerate me, set me freeAlways in debt, set me freeBank dues late, set me freeNever before, never beforeMayhem forever, never beforeDarkness ahead, never beforeHopeless dejected, never beforeCannot rest, cannot restHallucinate, cannot restAbused drugs, cannot restCompetitions, cannot restHow many years, how many yearsGreedy corporates, how many yearsConservative cronies, how many yearsLiberal phonies, how many yearsWho bail 'em out, who bail 'em outProtest ask shout, who bail 'em outProfiteer crooks, who bail 'em outFunding Obama/Bush, who bail 'em outPower to peoples, power to peoplesRedistribute lands, power to peoplesRegulate wealth, power to peoplesNationalize health, power to peoplesCrisis not ours, crisis not oursSold-out lenders, crisis not oursCollapsing capital, crisis not oursProving them lethal, crisis not oursCapitalism dead, capitalism deadFor once pay heed, capitalism deadTheir media lying, capitalism deadRich legacies dying, capitalism deadWe shall not tolerate, we shall not tolerateIf owners are ingrate, we shall not tolerateNo more minimum wage, we shall not tolerateNo stopping our rage, we shall not tolerateIgnorance no bliss, ignorance no blissPalestinian deaths a miss, ignorance no blissGo tell truth to the power, ignorance no blissImperialist war funds terror, ignorance no blissFighting war, fighting warHomeless once more, fighting warShelters full, fighting warTanks so cool, fighting warSmoke us out, smoke us outFunders of hate, smoke us outEvil is the bomb, smoke us outBring war home, smoke us outBring war home, bring war homeUnemployment zone, bring war homePoverty in Bronx, bring war homeCapitalism sucks, bring war homeSaswat PattanayakPeoples' Poet, 2009