poverty knock

, 'poverty poverty knock,' my loom is a saying all day, poverty poverty knock, gaffer's too skinny to pay, poverty poverty knock, keeping one eye on the clock, i know i can guttle when i hear my shuttle go, 'poverty poverty knock', up every morning at five, i wonder that we keep alive, tired and yawning another cold morning, it's back to the dreary old drive. oh dear we're going to be late, gaffer is stood at the gate, we're out of pocket, our wages they'll docket, we'll have to buy grub on the slate, and when our wages they bring, we're often short of a string, while we are fighting with gaffer for snatching, we know to his brass he will cling, sometimes a shuttle flies out, and gives some poor woman a clout, there she lies bleeding but nobody's heeding, oh who's going to carry her out?, oh dear, my poor head it sings, i should have woven three strings, my threads are breaking and my back is aching, oh dear, i wish i had wings, poverty poverty knock, poverty poverty knock, poverty poverty knock