Not your martyrs anointed of heaven - <br />The ages are red where they trod - <br />But the Hunted - the world's bitter leaven - <br />Who smote at your imbecile God - <br /> <br />A being to pander and fawn to, <br />To propitiate, flatter and dread <br />As a thing that your souls are in pawn to, <br />A Dealer who traffics the dead; <br /> <br />A Trader with greed never sated, <br />Who barters the souls in his snares, <br />That were trapped in the lusts he created, <br />For incense and masses and prayers - <br /> <br />They are crushed in the coils of your halters; <br />'Twere well - by the creeds ye have nursed - <br />That ye send up a cry from your altars, <br />A mass for the Martyrs Accursed; <br /> <br />A passionate prayer from reprieval <br />For the Brotherhood not understood - <br />For the Heroes who died for the evil, <br />Believing the evil was good. <br /> <br />To the Breakers, the Bold, the Despoilers, <br />Who dreamed of a world over-thrown… <br />They who died for the millions of toilers - <br />Few - fronting the nations alone! <br /> <br />- To the Outlawed of men and the Branded, <br />Whether hated or hating they fell - <br />I pledge the devoted, red-handed, <br />Unfaltering Heroes of Hell!<br /><br />Lola Ridge<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-toast-10/
