THE FRONT
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who thrust his fist into . cities
arriving by many ways
watching the pavements, the factory yards,
the cops on beat
walked out on the platform
raised his right arm, showing the fist clenched
"comrades, I bring news"
came back then skies and silhouettes,
facing the bay, of sailors
who no longer take the sea
because of strikes, pay-cuts and class-unity
"comrades, I bring news"
of the resistance of farmers
in Oneida county on a road
near a small white cottage
looking like a Xmas card,
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shot, the road was blocked
glass to blow their tires
there was one guy we grabbed
some bastard of a business man
learning to play State Trooper
one of the boys tackled him neat as he ran
Behold my American images get it straight
a montage of old residences bridges shops freights
Xmas, the millions walking up and down
the tables where applications are received
the arguments that will yet get down to something
in the center of this a union-hall
and on the platform he
with right arm crooked, fist clenched
"comrades, I bring news"
HA:tWLD ROSENBERG
