Tyrants

Tyrants written by William Henry Davies

Nature Poems (1908)

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Peace makes more slaves than savage War,
Since tyrants, backed by their Land's Law -
Needing no deadly armament -
Can force a people to consent
To toil like slaves for little pay,
In shops and factories all day;
Make human moles, that sweat and slave
In dark, cold, cheerless rooms; who have
No blood, to make them well again,
If foul Disease should give them pain.
The cold, proud rich they, without cares,
In comfort live; like surly bears
That eat and sleep in caves of ice
The Heavenly Sun has painted nice;
Tyrants that would, to have their rent,
Turn tenants' Christmas into Lent,
For fast instead of feast. What, free!
When masters, who hate Liberty,
Can in their height of power and greed
Force weaker men to serve their need?
Dogs may rear cats, the cat a rat,
And wolves stay hunger, loving what
They could devour - so masters may
Make men their care instead of prey.
The Fly has many eyes: I guess
A Spider can see more with less:
One Tyrant, though not right, is strong
To punish thousands for no wrong.

This work is in the public domain in countries where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or less.