CENTRALIZATION

You who like a sad story come listen to me
A tale I will tell you of great tragedy
We left our homeland to waste and decay
When centralization carried the day

Our homes and our churches were left in array
The land where our loved ones lie under the clay
As the old with no choice, devastated, alone
Our homes on the islands we were made to disown

The government people talked long and well
Those islands they said were no place to dwell
To target the young was their plan from the start
The old would then follow, their lives fall apart

The government paid us for moving away
For leaving our homeland far out in the bay
But the memories we carry no one can destroy
There’s a land we will love ‘til the day that we die

Our fathers came over to the isle Newfoundland
They settled her islands as well as her strand
For a few thousand dollars of government gold
Like Esau to Jacob our birthright we’ve sold

There’s a better day coming so we are told
When we won’t need money of silver or gold
No more to be bartered and no more good-byes
At last be immune to government lies