[Verse]
How many more must die now, how many must we lose,
Until the island's people their own destiny can choose?
From immortal Robert Emmet to Bobby Sands MP,
Who was given thirty thousand votes while in captivity,

[Chorus]
He was a poet and a soldier he died courageously,
And we gave him thirty thousand votes while in captivity.

[Verse]
Young Thomas Ashe gave everything in 1917,
The Lord Mayor of Cork MacSweeney died his freedom to obtain,
Never one of all our dead died more courageously,
Than young Bobby Sands from Twinbrook, the people's own MP.

[Chorus]
He was a poet and a soldier he died courageously,
And we gave him thirty thousand votes while in captivity.

[Verse]
No more he'll hear the lark's sweet note upon the Ulster air,
Or gaze upon the snowflake pure for to calm his deep despair,
But before he went on hunger strike young Bobby did compose,
'The Rhythm of Time', 'The Weeping Wind' and 'The Sleeping Rose'.

[Chorus]
He was a poet and a soldier he died courageously,
And we gave him thirty thousand votes while in captivity.

[Verse]
Forever we'll remember him the man who died in pain,
That his country north and south might be united once again,
For to mourn him is to organise and build a movement strong,
With ballot box and with Armalites, with music and our song.

[Chorus]
He was a poet and a soldier he died courageously,
And we gave him thirty thousand votes while in captivity.

[Outro]
Gone a poet and a soldier he died courageously,
And we gave him thirty thousand votes while in captivity.