Let all who will Eat quietly the bread of shame. I cannot, Without complaining loud and long. Tasting its bitterness in my throat, And feeling to my very soul It's wrong. For honest work You proffer me poor pay, for honest dreams Your spit is in my face, And so my fist is clenched Today- To strike your face.
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Text Authorship:
- by Langston Hughes (1902 - 1967), "Militant", appears in The Panther and the Lash, first published 1967 [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 Marian Viktorovich Koval (1907 - 1971), "Pride", published 1939 [ voice and piano ], from Oh, What Singers, also set in Russian [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-09-07
Line count: 14
Word count: 59