by H. T. Tsiang
Sacco, Vanzetti
Language: English
Fast! Fast! One year has passed! Dead! Dead! You will never be reborn! Who said There will be a resurrection? Why didn't we see any of those gentlemen Who were willing to take your places? The real rneaning of "death" -- You knew it. Still you paid with your life for your class! Sacrifice! That was real sacrifice! Look at your enemies. They are fishing, Smiling, Murdering, As ever. Shameful! It is an eternal disgrace to us all. Before your death Did not millions promise -- To do "this" or "that" lf you should die? Now One year has passed. What about "this" and what about "that"? Petitions? Protests? Telegrams? Demonstrations? Strikes? Oh! They may refire the cold ashes of our two martyrs. But they can never soften the murderer's heart! Tears? Sighs? Complaints? And the like? Oh! They may expect the embraces of your dear mothers, They can never get pardon from the blood-thirsty masters. Have you ever seen sheep end pigs Being dragged to slaughter? How pitifully they shriek! How terribly they tremblel Yet men enjoy their delicious flesh Just the same! Sheep! Pigs! Foreigners! Workers! Your sweat is fertile, Your blood is sweet, Your meat is fresh! Oh, Vanzetti! You did say: "I wish to forgive some people for what they are now doing to me". Certainly, you can forgive them as you like, But you are the Wop, the fish peddler, the worker, And haven't anything in the bank. lsn't it a great insult To say "forgive" to your honorable master? Oh, Sacco! You did say: "Long live anarchy", But you should not forget, That when you climb up to heaven You must use the ladder! Oh Martyrs! Dead! Dead! You are dead, Never, never To live again. Fast! Fast! One year has passed! But years and years, Years are piling up immortal bricks Of your lofty monument. Oh martyrs! Look at the autumn flowers: They are dying! Dying! Dying! But The trees, the roots from which The flowers are coming Never, never die! When the spring comes We shall again see the pretty flowers Blooming, Perfuming, Saluting the warm sun, Wrestling with the mild wind and kissing the charming butterflies. Oh martyrs! Dead, dead! You are dead! But Your human tree and your human root Are budding, Blooming, Growing! Listen to the war cries of your living brothers! This is the incense We are burning To you.
View text with all available footnotes
Note: written in memory of the first anniversary of the martyr's death.
Researcher for this page: John Versmoren
Note: written in memory of the first anniversary of the martyr's death.
Text Authorship:
- by H. T. Tsiang , "Sacco, Vanzetti", from the Daily Worker, Aug. 20th, first published 1928 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ruth Crawford-Seeger (1901 - 1953), "Sacco, Vanzetti", 1932, from 2 Ricercare, no. 1. [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this page: John Versmoren
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 100
Word count: 400