Take up the Tan Man’s Burden-
Send forth the best we breed
to be bound by the government
to serve their bloody need;
to wait in heavy harness
bloodied, betrayed, beguiled
waiting for savior
from a world that deems us wild?

Take up the Tan Man’s Burden-
their lies we must abide
to veil the threat of the righteous
and mask the nation’s pride
by lying speech of liberty,
while treating us with disdain
to seek the falsehood of profit
in a life of false gain.

Take up the Tan Man’s Burden-
The bloody fight for peace
picketing just to die
hoping the humanity won’t cease,
and when our goal is nearest
the end for which we fought
watch them take what we’ve done
and bring our work to naught.

Take up the Tan Man’s Burden-
Their call for bloody Kings
their fight for serfs and sweepers
their fight for farse things
their fight to create slaughter
on roads they will never tread
scarred us with your living
and desecrated our dead.

Take up the Tan Man’s Burden-
They reaped our old reward
murdered the ones we champion,
and champion the ones we discard
From our Persian trust
to your American lie
when we ask for help,
Carter left us out to die.

Take up the Tan Man’s Burden-
They did stoop to less,
and call for no more freedom
to cloak their awfulness?
By all the lies they worship
By all they leave or do
We the silenced, sullen people
can’t weigh their gods and you.

Take up the Tan Man’s Burden-
Until the blood is shed,
when the evil rule,
and the righteous are dead.
While we wait they won’t
the debt they will never pay
their lies held at our throats
until the end of days.