Prophetic Lines Addressed to the Worker From the Labour Government (1947)

From the September 1947 issue of the Socialist Standard

Sweet Content

Art thou poor, yet hast thou golden slumbers?
     O sweet content!
Art thou rich, yet is thy mind perplex’d?
    O punishment!
Dost thou laugh to see how fools are vex’d
To add to golden numbers golden numbers?
    O sweet content! O sweet, O sweet content!
Work apace, apace, apace, apace;
Honest labour bears a lovely face;
Then hey nonny nonny—hey nonny nonny!
Canst thou drink the waters of the crisped spring?
    O sweet content!
Swim’st thou in wealth yet sink’st in thine own tears?
    O punishment!
Then he that patiently want’s burden bears,
No burden bears, but is a king, a king!
   O sweet content! O sweet, O sweet content!
Work apace, apace, apace, apace;
Honest labour bears a lovely face;
Then hey nonny nonny—hey nonny nonny!

(By Thomas Dekker who died in 1632).