We plough and sow we are so low That we delve in the dirty clay Till we bless the plain with golden grain And the vale with the fragrant hay Our place we know we are so low Down at the landlord's feet We're not too low the bread to grow Too low the bread to eat Down down we go we are so low To the hell of the deep sunk mine But we gather the proudest gems that glow When the crown of the despot shines Whenever he lacks upon our backs Fresh loads he deigns to lay We're far too low to vote the tax Not too low to pay We're low we're low we're rabble we know Yet at our plastic power The mould at the lordling's feet will grow Into palace and church and tower
Then prostrate fall in the rich man's hall Cringe at the rich man's door We're not too low to build the wall Too low to tread the floor We're low we're low we are so low Yet from our fingers glide The silken flow and the robes that glow Round the limbs of the sons of pride And what we get and what we give We know and we know our share We're not too low the cloth to weave Too low the cloth to wear We're low we're low we are so low Yet when the trumpets ring The thrust of a poor man's arm will go Through the heart of the proudest king We're low we're low our place we know Only the rank and file We're not too low to k** the foe Too low to touch the spoil