THE LABOUR SPEAKS
‘The Labor Speaks’
This poem of unclear origin was used by the World Factory Workers to inspire workers to support the movement to “ask for their rights.” The author, speaking for all workers “I am Labor,” claims the sole responsibility for the production of all material development in America.
In the poem “The Labor Speaks,” the author speaks from the collective identity of the working class to the collective identity of the group that controls the labor movement. The word “labor” has two meanings: the word “work” and the collective identity of the working class. The writer also refers to himself as the ‘Master of.’ Which means power. The speaker-subject has merged from different kinds of workers. Another character is “You,” someone who “seeks to destroy.”
The poem has a voice that expresses the emotions, the attitude, the tone, and the character of the author. It is written; first, the author identifies himself as the “I,” but not the singular, but the plural. The authors’ voices should be genderless, subject-amalgamated from all kinds of workers, coming together in a collective identity. The position from which the story is told, the image is constructed, or the information is given, must be directed in a new way to this new world, the world of full-fledged subjects, not objects. Making it a voice that is unique and represents the entire workforce The character of an anonymous man Tone is critical, severe, and detectable merge meaning The second character is “YOU,” also known from managers, factory owners, managers, all those who control labor.
References
“Poetry of the Colorado miners, 1903-1906” Radical Teacher 15 (March 1980), 1-13