The Crowd

Enticing to the coward is the crowd:
It speaks what each dares not to speak alone,
And compensates for fear with voices loud
To offer wisdom that it doesn’t own.
With stridency, a courage is displayed
Which hadn’t been in evidence before;
The shame of individuals afraid
For just a time the crowd lets each ignore.
And out of nowhere vindication comes
To lost souls as their petty dreams come true;
Amidst the power shift and beating drums
They’re now the ones to give to each his due.
The crowd will not disperse until its spell
Brings many men to suffer, more to hell.

—Joseph Mirra