I'm sitting here on Harvey's Pier
in the city of St John's;
I'm thinking back on South East Bight,
the place where I was born;
I'm thinking back on Placentia Bay,
where all our people left,
After signing up that Government plan,
the blow below the belt.
'twas in the year of 'sixty-six,
the date I won't forget.
The Government plan was sent around,
I can see the paper yet,
"Sign it if you want to,
or reject it if you like,
The rules and regulations
they're there in black and white.
"Two hundred for each person,
a thousand to freeze your land,
Your house and property's still your own -
you may sell it if you can."
Some beautiful homes were left behind
for what else could we do?
If you asked someone to buy your home,
he'd say: "We're leaving, too."
Smallwood he got on the air,
each word he spoke seemed great:
"Haul up your punts and dories!
Destroy your stage and flake!
I'm moving you away from here,
employment sure you'll find,
And you won't regret the day
you left those outports far behind."
When fifty percent of the people
the Government plan did sign
The other fifty had no choice
'twas go or be left behind;
We moved in all directions
all around our native coast,
And bid good-bye to our home-sweet-homes,
the places we cherished most.
After we resettled,
everything seemed pretty odd -
Us independent fishermen,
we could not find a job.
But when elections rolled around,
we showed Joey how we felt,
We dropped him in his corner
and gave Frank Moores the belt!
There's one man's name I'll mention,
I'm sure that he won't mind,
That gentleman's name is Pius Power,
he's a real good friend of mine -
He moved from Clattice Harbour
back to the place I left;
He would not sign that dotted line,
that blow below the belt.
He's an independent fisherman,
everything he got, he owns,
Fishing gear of many kinds -
a schooner twenty tons.
He's as friendly a chap as ever you met,
and he'll tell you how he felt,
Why he would not sign the dotted line,
the blow below the belt.
Now to conclude and finish,
I'm still on Harvey's Pier,
A-gazing through the Narrows
o'er the sleepy ocean near;
I'm an employee at the Waterford,
I'm lucky, sure, myself,
That I didn't end up a patient
from the blow below the belt.
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