Sacco, Vanzetti (Tsiang, set by R. Crawford-Seeger) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Fast! Fast! 
One year has passed!
Dead! Dead! 
You will never be reborn!
Who said 
There will be a resurrection? 
Why didn't we see any of those gentlemen
Who were willing to take your places?
The real rneaning of "death" --
You knew it. 
Still you paid with your life for your class!
Sacrifice! 
That was real sacrifice!

Look at your enemies.
They are fishing,
Smiling, 
Murdering, 
As ever. 
Shameful! 
It is an eternal disgrace to us all. 

Before your death 
Did not millions promise --
To do "this" or "that"
lf you should die?
Now 
One year has passed. 
What about "this" and what about "that"?

Petitions?
Protests? 
Telegrams? 
Demonstrations?
Strikes? 
Oh! They may refire the cold ashes of our two martyrs. 
But they can never soften the murderer's heart! 
Tears?
Sighs? 
Complaints?
And the like? 
Oh! They may expect the embraces of your dear mothers, 
They can never get pardon from the blood-thirsty masters.

Have you ever seen sheep end pigs 
Being dragged to slaughter?
How pitifully they shriek! 
How terribly they tremblel 
Yet men enjoy their delicious flesh
Just the same! 
Sheep! Pigs! Foreigners! Workers!
Your sweat is fertile,
Your blood is sweet,
Your meat is fresh! 

Oh, Vanzetti!
You did say: 
"I wish to forgive some people for what they are now doing to me". 
Certainly, you can forgive them as you like, 
But you are the Wop, the fish peddler, the worker, 
And haven't anything in the bank.
lsn't it a great insult 
To say "forgive" to your honorable master? 

Oh, Sacco!
You did say: 
"Long live anarchy", 
But you should not forget, 
That when you climb up to heaven
You must use the ladder!

Oh Martyrs!
Dead! Dead! 
You are dead,
Never, never
To live again.
Fast! Fast! 
One year has passed!
But years and years, 
Years are piling up immortal bricks
Of your lofty monument.

Oh martyrs! 
Look at the autumn flowers:
They are dying!
Dying! Dying!
But 
The trees, the roots from which 
The flowers are [blooming]¹
Never, never die! 
When the spring comes 
We shall again see the pretty flowers
Blooming,
Perfuming, 
Saluting the warm sun, 
Wrestling with the mild wind 
and kissing the charming butterflies.

Oh martyrs! 
Dead, dead! You are dead!
But 
Your human tree and your human root
Are budding,
Blooming,
Growing! 

Listen to the war cries of your living brothers!
This is the incense
We are burning
To you.

View text without footnotes
Note: written in memory of the first anniversary of the martyr's death.
¹ Tsiang: "coming"

Input by John Versmoren

Authorship

H. T. Tsiang

Daily Worker

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

Ruth Crawford-Seeger (1901-1953)

2 Ricercare

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

Gentle Reminder

This project is not funded. If you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your gift is greatly appreciated!
- Emily

I also have a wishlist at Amazon.ca.