The Poor Man's Family

I am a roving Irishman
I sailed from Greenland's shore;
To drive the hungry wolves away
From the poor old landsman's door.

cho: Oh give us pay for every day
That's all we ask of thee,
For it's right that we're out upon a strike
For the poor man's family.

The rich man's home by a cheery fire
And their horses are swift and strong,
But if a poor man should ask for a crust
THey tell him that he's wrong.

"You take your ribbons in your hand
And you go plow for me
You can die or live, I have nothing to give
For the poor man's family."

They bring their Eye-talians over here
And the Chinamen from the south;
Thinking they can do the work
Take the bread from a poor man's mouth.

And the American children, they must starve?
nd that we'll not agree
To be put down like a worm in the ground
For to starve a family.

From Folk Songs of the Catskills Cazden et al
Collected from George Edwards
RG
APR99