“There are 47 percent who are with [the president], who are
dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims,
who believe that government has a responsibility to care for them,
who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing,
to you name it . . . That’s entitlement.” —Mitt Romney to the
roomful of people at the private fundraiser for Mitt Romney, May 2012
“All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should
do unto you, even so do ye also unto them.” — Matthew 7:12
“Who is here so vile that will not love his country? If any,
speak: for him I have offended.” —Julius Caesar, act 3, scene 2
Unto Others
Who there knows how good it is to know
a warm bed and a roof? If any, speak.
Who there knows how good it is to know
a schoolroom? If any, speak.
Who there knows how good it is to know
the stiffness of new shoes? If any, speak.
Who there knows how good it is to know
the steam of a meal on your cheeks? If any, speak.
Who there knows how good it is to know
some God hears you weep? If any, speak.
Who there knows how good it is to know?
All of you know, so speak.
So you know how good it is to know.
All of you know, so speak. Say it’s OK
for others to know how good it is to know.
Say it. Speak. You lose nothing
if others know how good it is to know.
Go ahead. Speak.
If you know how good it is to know,
why then don’t you speak?
Why then don’t you speak?
Say something. Speak. Speak. Speak.
by Lauren Marie Schmidt
from Filthy Labors
Curbstone Books, 2017