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Like a Tide Upon the Land

by Melanie Gruben

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1.
Workers of Ireland, why crouch ye like cravens to bear all the burden of bourgeoisie shame? Why stand to be plucked by an army of ravens or hoodwinked forever by working class blame? Think on the wrongs you bear, think on the rags you wear Think on the insults indulged from your birth Toiling in heat and rain, piling up heaps of gain All for the landlord that grind ye to earth. Your brains are as keen as the brains of your masters, in swiftness and strength you surpass them, by far Your brave hearts have taught you to laugh at disasters, you vastly outnumber your tyrants in war Why, then, like cowards stand, using not brain nor hand, Thankful like dogs when they throw you a bone? What right have they to take things that we toil to make? Know ye not, comrades, that all is our own? Despite all the talk of these nation’list traitors who rave about “Ireland” or “Freedom” or worse Expect not your rights from political praters but faithfully trust in your courage and force Waste not your ready blows, seek not for foreign foes Your bitterest enemy is own our own soil. The bosses that grind you, the salesmen that blind you, The fat cats that revel while you are at toil. Arise in our might, comrades, bear it no longer, assemble our masses throughout all the land We’ll show these bloodsuckers which side is the stronger when workers in Erin united will stand Through village, street, and hall, over the acres all Onwards we’ll sweep like the waves of the sea Claiming the wealth we’ve made, ending the tyrants’ trade 'Til labour has triumped and Ireland is free! Claiming the wealth we’ve made, ending the tyrants’ trade 'Til labour has triumped and Ireland is free!
2.
Union Maid 02:47
There once was a union maid, she never was afraid Of the goons and the pigs and the boss big wigs And the deputy sheriff who made the raid She went to the union hall when a meeting it was called And when the company boys came ‘round, she always stood her ground She said you can’t scare me, I’m sticking to the union I’m sticking to the union; I’m sticking to the union Oh, you can’t scare me, I’m sticking to the union I’m sticking to the union, ‘til the day I die This union maid was wise to the tricks of the company spies She could never be fooled by a corporate tool, she’d always organize the guys She always got her way when she struck for better pay (hey!) She’d show her card with high regard, and this is what she’d say Oh, you can’t scare me, I’m sticking to the union I’m sticking to the union; I’m sticking to the union Oh, you can’t scare me, I’m sticking to the union I’m sticking to the union, ‘til the day I die I’m sticking to the union, ‘til the day I die You workers who wanna be free, just take a little tip from me Join your hands with union fans right into the 21st century As Angela Davis found, we’re all together bound Let race and class and gender join to stand our common ground Oh, you can’t scare me, I’m sticking to the union I’m sticking to the union; I’m sticking to the union Oh, you can’t scare me, I’m sticking to the union I’m sticking to the union, ‘til the day I die I’m sticking to the union, ‘til the day I die
3.
In 1649 to St. George's Hill A ragged band they called the Diggers came to show the people's will They defied the landlords, they defied the laws They were the dispossessed reclaiming what was theirs “We come in peace,” they said, “to dig and sow; “We come to work the lands in common and to make the waste grounds grow This earth divided we will make whole So it will be a common treasury for all The sin of property we do disdain No one has any right to buy and sell the Earth for private gain By theft and murder, they took the land Now everywhere the walls spring up at their command They make the laws to chain us well The clergy dazzle us with heaven or they damn us into hell We will not worship the God they serve The God of greed who feeds the rich while poor men starve We work together, we need no swords We will not bow to the masters or pay rent to the lords We are free men, though we are poor You Diggers all stand up for glory, stand up now” From the men of property the orders came They sent the hired men and troopers to wipe out the Diggers' claim Tear down their cottages, destroy their corn They were dispersed, but still the vision lingers on You poor take courage, you rich take care This earth was made a common treasury for everyone to share All things in common, all people one “We come in peace” The orders came to cut them down "We come in peace" The orders came to cut them down
4.
We live in brutal times; can’t afford to rent or buy, can’t afford to stay warm While the landlords feast and thrive and their cronies on their thrones try to blame it on the war But you are far too wise; you can see their wicked games, and you’ve heard it all before You’ve a right to be inspired; for we rose up and took control not so very long ago And just when hope is gone, and you think we’d better off if we burned the country down Remember how we won before; we got our way when we stood our common ground; and there is time for us to turn this thing around Glory, glory, we stopped the water charges, and we will do it again Glory, glory, we stopped the water charges, and we will do it again It was 2014 The Irish government announced a new law to be rolled out For water we’d be charged a fee No special programmes for the poor, so hands off the waterspout With costs as they are now Can you imagine what those bills would have looked like today? We didn’t all know how but the government decreed every citizen would pay We said, water is a human right; It’s in our blood and in our brain; our taxes fund the water main; There’s plenty falling from the sky You say it’s for the Earth, we’re calling out your lie You try to squeeze the poor, your mandate we’ll defy We’re on an island for fuck’s sake, we won’t run dry Glory, glory, we stopped the water charges, and we will do it again Glory, glory, we stopped the water charges, and we will do it again The Irish people would not obey The working class all raised our fists the women led us to resist, we said We won’t pay, no way (we won't pay, no way) The population which complied was below 50% So then there came the threats They said we’ll take you into court, no water til you pay your debts It was echoed by the Press (echoed by the Press) We launched a leafletting campaign all their tactics to address 200,000 mobilised The protests gave us strength and hope, but this called for a greater scope The tip-off networks kept us wise We blocked the trucks from putting water meters in When guards showed up, we stood together once again Three million non-paying Irish people made us win Glory, glory, we stopped the water charges, and we will do it again Glory, glory, we stopped the water charges, and we will do it again They can’t stop us when we work together No, they can’t take us all in a fight It counts to protest and be vocal But it matters as well that we pull it off right With tactics specific to what they throw our way A working-class network could well seize the day Don't rely on politicians to fight for our fight 'Cause it’s far past time to make housing a right! Glory, glory, we stopped the water charges, and we will do it again Glory, glory, we stopped the water charges, and we will do it again We will do it again!
5.
As we go marching, marching, in the beauty of the day, A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill-lofts gray Are touched by all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses, As the people hear us singing, "Bread and Roses, Bread and Roses." As we go marching, marching, unnumbered women dead Go crying through our singing their ancient cries for Bread; Small art and love and beauty their drudging spirits knew Yes, it is Bread we fight for—but we fight for Roses, too. As we go marching, marching, we battle, too, for men For they are women's children, our comrades, loves, and friends. Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes Hearts starve as well as bodies: Give us Bread, but give us Roses. As we go marching, marching, we bring the brighter days The rising of the women rises all the human race. No more the drudge and idler ten that toil where one reposes But a sharing of life's glories: Bread and Roses, Bread and Roses, Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes Hearts starve as well as bodies: Give us Bread, but give us Roses.

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released February 1, 2023

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