to the overthrow

the worm things from the soft earth
in the rainfall night crawl forth
onto pavement doorstep or road
into the concrete certainty of death

they do not think but they know
that in a darkness yet to fall
there will be an overthrow
and those who rule will crawl
and those who crawl will rule

though tonight in their impossible thousands they die
crushed under wheel trampled under foot
conquered by a nation
that knows them not


(Dedicated to all my pals at the Johnston Press who have so lately come down in the world. Now you know what it is to live in fear.)