Everyone needs a nice place to live in,
And good food to eat that's not too expensive,
And clean clothes with no holes or patches.
A doctor to call, an old friend to visit,
A way to get places, parties, and music.
A street to walk safely,
And benches to sit on with shade in the summer,
And warm friendly places to be in the winter,
Some work to do that's useful to others
and doesn't get boring.
People to come to for all kinds of answers,
And somebody checkin' so nobody's forgotten.
Money to spend that's given and taken
Without feeling guilty.
Love without pity,
Pride without anger,
Everyone knows what everyone needs,
But programs, laws, city councils, commissions,
Agencies, bureaus can't give it to us.
All of us need the best in each other,
And if we can find it,
And if we can give it,
The rest will soon follow.
If we all stick together,
We'll get what we need.
Amen.
(This was printed in the insert of Utah Phillips' 1979 album All Used Up. I googled for it yesterday, for a Christmas tweet, and was shocked not to find it in wide circulation... only on this Facebook site. So I'm posting it.
(Mr. Phillips was born in Cleveland in 1935 to two union organizers.)