Cesar Chavez, a hero of labor organizationand founder of the Farm Workers' Union
Today, in celebration of labor day (whose significance is forgotten by many) I will inflict on you a verse that I wrote when I was eleven years old and had never been taught such niceties of poetic composition as the number of syllables in a line or - you name it! This is actually my first published poem - on the children's page of the San Jose Mercury Herald. Yes, I know it's bad, but it was a source of great pride to me when I was an eleven-year old!
It was only a little star.
There were others much more bright
But still it tried to do it’s part
In lighting the world at night.
He was only a common man
Millions like him you can see
But he did his duty day by day
That this world might happier be.
Shine on little star
For what would we do
If there were only a few bright stars
And no little ones like you?
Shine on, common man, shine on
Though your name is not bright with fame!
For what would we do without men like you
Whose duty is done just the same?
