my body aches,
hands and feet are pierced with
the pain that comes from labor,
muscles sore from lifting
the leaden weight over and again.
how easy to say 'no, i shall not do it'
and let this day pass away like any other.
but the aches and pains have meaning,
a small bit of suffering endured
for the better,
one i will make again and again,
because the work is more important
than the pain and the discomfort -
it is the act of working that
brings honor to the labor,
because I do not have to do it -
i choose to.