Government

THE Government—I heard about the Government and

    I went out to find it. I said I would look closely at

    it when I saw it.

Then I saw a policeman dragging a drunken man to

    the callaboose. It was the Government in action.

I saw a ward alderman slip into an office one morning

    and talk with a judge. Later in the day the judge

    dismissed a case against a pickpocket who was a

    live ward worker for the alderman. Again I saw

    this was the Government, doing things.

I saw militiamen level their rifles at a crowd of work-

    ingmen who were trying to get other workingmen

    to stay away from a shop where there was a strike

    on. Government in action.

Everywhere I saw that Government is a thing made of

    men, that Government has blood and bones, it is

    many mouths whispering into many ears, sending

    telegrams, aiming rifles, writing orders, saying

    "yes" and "no."

Government dies as the men who form it die and are laid

    away in their graves and the new Government that

    comes after is human, made of heartbeats of blood,

    ambitions, lusts, and money running through it all,

    money paid and money taken, and money covered

    up and spoken of with hushed voices.

A Government is just as secret and mysterious and sensi-

    tive as any human sinner carrying a load of germs,

    traditions and corpuscles handed down from

    fathers and mothers away back.

Composition date is unknown - the above date represents the first publication date.The lyrical form of this poem is unrhyming.2.callaboose: jail (originally slangy New Orleans term)3.ward alderman: elected representative to city council for a given electoral district.