Classic Poem

Two men are leaving the prison today—
Two thousand watch them go.
Two men smile as they walk away—
Two thousand caged-in men must stay!

Two men are leaving the pit of hell;
But they leave two thousand there,
Who rush like mad at the ring of a bell
And crawl off to sleep in a dirty cell
And breathe in prison-filthy air.

Two men are leaving the prison walls
With a five dollar bill to spend—
Two thousand men in the cells and halls
Turn back again to the bugle call,
Like galley slaves to the end.

Two men shall see their homes again—
Two thousand men shall not!
A few shall go who die self-slain,
A few shall break and go insane;
But all, all of the men shall rot!