The song "Men of England" (also known as "A Song: Men of England") is a revolutionary poem written by Percy Bysshe Shelley. It addresses the working men of England, urging them to question why they toil and suffer to enrich the upper class—the lords and tyrants—who exploit their labor. Shelley uses metaphors like "Bees of England" to describe the workers and "stingless drones" for the aristocrats who live off their toil. The poem is a call to action for the working class to stop allowing the ruling class to profit from their labor and to fight for their rights and wealth. This song/poem vividly critiques the exploitation of workers and encourages them to take control of their own lives and resources instead of continuing to serve their oppressive rulers. It expresses the harsh economic and social realities faced by the working class in early 19th century England and was considered highly controversial when Shelley wrote it around 1819. The poem was not published during his lifetime but was included later in his works. The full text of the poem can be found on poetry and literary websites, and versions of the song are available on platforms like YouTube and Spotify.
