Times Change in England
Times change here in England,
Although I'm just a common man,
I've worked hard to feed my family,
From these small strips of ground.
 
This simple life is all we know,
Living off this land,
We follow the rhythym of the seasons,
With respect for god and fellow man.
 
The sheep and cow were sold today,
Now the common grazings gone,
The prices are the worst we've known,
But nothing can be done,
This simple life .....
 
The reformers came to enclose the land,
It's a change that we don't understand,
Not a thought or care for what they do,
They take away the rights of common men.
 
Who can say what will happen now,
But I pray we're kept from harm,
As we seek out paid employment,
Moving on from farm to farm.
This simple life ...

Copyright Nick Allmark 2005
The Enclosures Act in England took away land and common grazing from many ordinary people, resulting in families being forced to abandoned  their homes and way of life to seek any work they could find.