The Twentieth Century Epic

"The Twentieth Century Epic" by Reuben Brodie Garnett is a piece of early 20th-century poetry that looks closely at society, government, and how people should act. It shares the author's own thoughts and experiences, covering topics like socialism, schools, morals, and the different jobs people do, all to help readers understand and encourage them to work together to make things better. The book begins with the author saying they want to help people by sharing good feelings and knowledge. Garnett explains that he was inspired by worrying about the problems of everyday people as socialism became more popular. The poem promises to talk about today's issues—like education and the difficulties of running a country—in an easy-to-understand way, without complicated language, so everyone can get the message. The beginning sets up a thorough review of modern life, pushing people to think about what they and others should be doing in a world that's quickly changing.