| The Corn Law Rhymer |
[25 March, 2008] |
A piece by Ian McMillan in the Guardian today mentions Ebenezer Elliott, the ‘Corn Law Rhymer’. I am not sure I have even heard of him before. A quick search on the web and two sites dedicated to him and his work pop up. This is the better one, with more of the poetry. I like this poem, from Corn Law Rhymes (1833):
What is Bad Government?
What is bad government, thou slave,
Whom robbers represent?
What is bad government, thou knave,
Who lov’st bad government?
It is the deadly Will, that takes
What labour ought to keep;
It is the deadly Power, that makes
Bread dear, and labour cheap.
Tells it like it is.
The same issue of the Guardian tells me that ‘The price of food in Britain rose three times faster than the level of inflation last year.’ This is not a good time to be poor.
The People’s Anthem
When wilt Thou save the people?
O God of mercy! when?
Not kings and lords, but nations!
Not thrones and crowns, but men!
Flowers of Thy heart, O God, are they!
Let them not pass, like weeds, away!
Their heritage a sunless day!
God save the people!
Shall crime bring crime for ever,
Strength aiding still the strong?
Is it Thy will, O Father!
That man shall toil for wrong?
‘No!’ say Thy mountains; ‘No!’ Thy skies;
‘Man's clouded sun shall brightly rise,
And songs be heard instead of sighs.’
God save the people!
When whilt thou save the people?
O God of mercy! when?
The people, Lord! the people!
Not thrones and crowns, but men!
God save the people! Thine they are;
Thy children, as Thy angels fair;
Save them from bondage and despair!
God save the people!
Ebenezer Elliott (1781–1849)
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