Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, TO LABOR, by CHARLOTTE PERKINS STETSON GILMAN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

TO LABOR, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Shall you complain who feed the world?
Last Line: Believe and dare and do!
Alternate Author Name(s): Stetson, Charlotte Perkins
Subject(s): Labor & Laborers; Social Problems; Work; Workers


SHALL you complain who feed the world?
Who clothe the world?
Who house the world?
Shall you complain who are the world,
Of what the world may do?
As from this hour
You use your power,
The world must follow you.

The world's life hangs on your right hand,
Your strong right hand,
Your skilled right hand;
You hold the whole world in your hand —
See to it what you do!
Or dark or light,
Or wrong or right,
The world is made by you!

Then rise as you ne'er rose before,
Nor hoped before,
Nor dared before,
And show as ne'er was shown before,
The power that lies in you!
Stand all as one
Till right is done!
Believe and dare and do!





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