The Poetry Show Podcast: May Day in Verse

"All of Us or None"

 

Enlighten Radio Presents: The Poetry Show Podcast

International Workers Day in Verse

hosts: John Case, Janet Harrison

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2 Poems 

Bertolt Brecht:

The Rugweavers of Kujan-Bulak Honor Comrade Lenin

 

often and copiously honor has been done
to comrade Lenin. there are busts and statues.
cities are called after him, and children.
speeches are made in many languages
there are meetings and demonstrations

from shanghai to Chicago in Lenin's honor.
but this is how he was honored by
the carpet weavers of kuyan-bulak
a little township in southern Turkestan.

every evening there twenty carpet weavers
shaking with fever rise from their primitive looms
fever is rife: the railway station
is full of the hum of mosquitoes, a thick cloud
that rises from the swamp behind the old camels' graveyard.
but the railway train which
every two weeks brings water and smoke, brings
the news also one day
that the day approaches honoring comrade lining.
and the people of kuyan-bulak
carpet weavers, poor people
decide that in their township too comrade Lenin's
plaster bust shall be put up.

then, as the collection is made for the bust
they all stand
shaking with fever and offer
their hard-earned kopeks with trembling hands.
and the red army man Stepa Gamalev, who
carefully counts and nimutely watches
sees how ready they are to honor Lenin, and he is glad
but he also sees their unsteady hands
and he suddenly proposes
that the money for the bust be used to buy petroleum
to be poured on the swamp behind the camels' graveyard
where the mosquitoes breed that carry
the fever germ.
and so to fight the fever at kuyan-bulak, thus
honoring the dead but
never to be forgotten
comrade Lenin.

they resolved to do this. on the day of the ceremony thy carried
their dented buckets filled with black petroleum
one after the other
and poured it over the swamp

so they helped themselves by honoring Lenin, and
had understood him better.

2

we have heard how the people of kuyan-bulak
honored lenin. when in the evening
the petroleum had been bought and poured on the swamp
a man rose at that meeting, demanding
that a plaque be affixed on the railway station
recording these events and containing
precise details too of their altered plan, the exchange of
the bust for lenin for a barrel of fever-destroying oil.
and all this in honor of Lenin.
and they did this as well
and put up the plaque.

bb

 

All of Us or None

 

Slave, who is it that shall free you?
Those in deepest darkness lying.
Comrade, only these can see you
Only they can hear you crying.
Comrade, only slaves can free you.
Everything or nothing. All of us or none.
One alone his lot can’t better.
Either gun or fetter.
Everything or nothing. All of us or none.

You who hunger, who shall feed you?
If it’s bread you would be carving,
Come to us, we too are starving.
Come to us and let us lead you.
Only hungry men can feed you.
Everything or nothing. All of us or none.
One alone his lot can’t better.
Either gun or fetter.
Everything or nothing. All of us or none.

Beaten man, who shall avenge you?
You, on whom the blows are falling,
Hear your wounded brothers calling.
Weakness gives us strength to lend you.
Come to us, we shall avenge you.
Everything or nothing. All of us or none.
One alone his lot can’t better.
Either gun or fetter.
Everything or nothing. All of us or none.

Who, oh wretched one, shall dare it?
He who can no longer bear it.
Counts the blows that arm his spirit.
Taught the time by need and sorrow,
Strikes today and not tomorrow.
Everything or nothing. All of us or none.
One alone his lot can’t better.
Either gun or fetter.
Everything or nothing. All of us or none.