‘Twas May Day when the workers did arise
demanding freedom with a single voice;
they shook their leaders, took them by surprise;
the leaders then were forced to make a choice
and so they promised freedom and reward
and won the trust of workers far and wide
but then they charged with bloody pointed sword:
the workers ran and scattered, where to hide?
The leaders of the workers and the state
came together, then to sign a deal
which neatly tied them, simply sealed their fate
and left them fighting, just to win a meal.
They put the workers back into their cage:
once more they’re toiling for a meagre wage.
This sonnet comes courtesy of Valdis, a regular Sonnet Sunday contributor and guest poster here at EIF. Thank you Valdis for raising your voice in support of the workers!
Featured image: from Jerusalem The Emanation of the Giant Albion, The William Blake Archive (public domain).
It’s a sad truth. I was just telling my daughters how different it was for my father working for a company with a strong union. Now it seems no one is protected from corporate greed. (K)
Yes, even when I worked in the public sector, ‘union’ was often viewed as a dirty word.
It helps even non-unionized workers. But people are always doing things that are not in their self-interest when it concerns the economy.
Love the poetry that appears on this site!
Thank you Gunta 😊