Heart in Hand

It’s a bright June morning, beautiful day

And though it turned so ugly, I’ll remember it that way

Til those buses start in, like they’ll never stop

Coming for to carry some poor fool to my job

Then like a seamless dance where the partners glide

Or the graceful flow of stream and tide

We all moved, so instinctively

From the deepest well of our dignity

Heart in throat, heart in hand

Sitting arm in arm, you can see, here I am

I look so young, but I am strong, not scared

With my sisters, my brothers, I’m there

Do you think so little of me, do you think of me at all

As we slow your bus to a crawl?

As your boss tries to bring us to our knees

As the window smashes, do you think of me?

How I work hard, I’m good at my job

We saved this company, and all for what?

To be sneered at, sold out, undermined

Do you think of me when you cross the line?

Heart in throat, heart in hand

Sitting arm in arm, you can see, here I am

I look so young, but I am strong, not scared

With my sisters, my brothers, I’m there

One by one, they try to take us all away

But like pebbles on a beach, we shift and remain

You can grind your heel down into the sand

But your mark disappears when the next wave lands

Oh, heart in hand, our bodies on the line

We who never took a handout in our lives

Now the goodwill and the money pours in

It makes me weep, such a simple thing

Heart in throat, heart in hand

Sitting arm in arm, you can see, here I am

I look so young, but I am strong, not scared

With my sisters, my brothers, I’m there

Heart in throat, heart in hand

With my sisters, my brothers, I’m there

With my sisters, my brothers, I’m there