Justin writes:
> Brecht. It's from the poem To Those Born Later. jks
Yes, of course, Brecht. Not from that poem, though, which is worth quoting in full:
To Those Born Later (1936)
You who will emerge from the flood In which we have gone under Remember When you speak of our failings The dark times too Which you have escaped. For we went, changing countries oftener than our shoes Through the wars of the classes, despairing When there was injustice only, and no rebellion. And yet we know: Hatred, even of meanness Contorts the features. Anger, even against injustice Makes the voice hoarse. Oh, we Who wanted to prepare the ground for friendliness Could not ourselves be friendly. But you, when the time comes at last And man is helper to man Think of us With forbearance.
As I recall there's a later poem of his, similar in feeling, which includes the line "Judge us not too harshly."
Jacob Conrad