Landless Forever

At every pit, my name was dirt

The only way to get some work

Was scratch and beg for five whole pounds

To Pennsylvania, I was bound

Three weeks aboard a steamer ship

Sick, but less cramped than the pit

It took a while to find my feet

Ashore as well as o'er the deep

Every time I rise from sleep

A voice within calls to me

Leave the mines

Settle the land

When and how could

That happen back home?

Never, never

Certainly never

Landless forever

A pauper for good

Landless for good

We have unions here and strikes the same as home

Terse words with overmen on how much work was done

More and more men come

As the days tick on

They said the war would mean strong lads were in demand

And men who knew which were foul coals by dingy lamp

But still more men come

Wives and bairns along

Soon, the place is full

But another pull says

Leave the mines

Settle the land

How could that ever

Happen back home?

Never, never

Certainly never

Landless forever

A pauper for good

Landless for good

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