Four young men, unemployed, <br />Ran a concern, self-employed, <br />Without much of publicity, <br />In a remote corner of a city. <br /> <br />They went to carry, <br />Dead ones from the city, <br />To bury a dead, <br />Or burn it red. <br /> <br />Headside of the dead, <br />Always one pair carried, <br />While legside of it, <br />Another gave a lift. <br /> <br />One day, they fought, <br />As each pair thought, <br />Why two felt superior, <br />And let another inferior? <br /> <br />They dropped the dead, <br />Down on the road, <br />To assert their rights, <br />To change their sides. <br /> <br />An old passerby, <br />Just heard their cry, <br />And ridiculed their action, <br />That brought this inaction. <br /> <br />'In the world of professions, <br />The least one was this, <br />As none came forward, <br />For this, deemed backward.' <br /> <br />'What if? Leg or head, <br />One and the same for the dead. <br />Dignity of labour, you'll find, <br />Whatever job be, never mind.' <br /> <br />They took the coffin, <br />O'ver their shoulders again, <br />Keeping in mind, ever, <br />The dignity of labour.<br /><br />Rajaram Ramachandran<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-dignity-of-labour/
