Rise Ye! Rise Ye!
Rise Ye! Rise Ye! - meaning Summary
Urgent Call for Labor Revolt
Henry Lawson’s poem is an urgent, militant rallying cry urging workers to rise against oppressive employers and unjust laws. It depicts hunger, overwork, and domestic burden—wives washing and children weeping—as evidence of exploitation. Repeated refrains and direct addresses mobilize collective action, promising revenge and solidarity while mocking ineffectual leaders. The poem emphasizes mass marching and forceful confrontation to reclaim labour rights and break the tyrant’s chains.
Read Complete AnalysesRise Ye! rise ye! noble toilers! claim your rights with fire and steel! Rise ye! for the cursed tyrants crush ye with the hiron ’eel! They would treat ye worse than sl-a-a-ves! they would treat ye worse than brutes! Rise and crush the selfish tyrants! ku-r-rush them with your hob-nailed boots! Rise ye rise ye glorious toilers Rise ye rise ye noble toilers! Erwake! er-rise! Rise ye! rise ye! noble toilers! tyrants come across the waves! Will ye yield the Rights of Labour? will ye? will ye still be sl-a-a-ves? Rise ye! rise ye! mighty toilers! and revoke the rotten laws! Lo! your wives go out a-washing while ye battle for the caws! Rise ye! rise ye glorious toilers! Rise ye! rise ye noble toilers! Erwake! er-rise! Our gerlorious dawn is breaking! Lo! the tyrant trembles now! He will sta-a-rve us here no longer! toilers will not bend or bow! Rise ye! rise ye! noble toilers! rise! behold, revenge is near; See the leaders of the people! come an’ ’ave a pint o’ beer! Rise ye! rise ye! noble toilers! Rise ye! rise ye! glorious toilers! Erwake! er-rise! Lo! the poor are starved, my brothers! lo! our wives and children weep! Lo! our women toil to keep us while the toilers are asleep! Rise ye! rise ye! noble toilers! rise and break the tyrant’s chain! March ye! march ye! mighty toilers! even to the battle plain! Rise ye! rise ye! noble toilers! Rise ye! rise ye! noble toilers! Erwake! er-r-rise!
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