Goose and Common is a 17th- (or 18th-?) century poem protesting enclosure in England, which has been turned into a song by various people. There's no traditional tune to go with it, so everyone makes up their own (as far as I can tell!). Here's my version. I also thought it needed a chorus, so wrote some extra words too.

Recently some other people have started playing it, so I made a page on my website to track its progress through the folk process: https://www.helenbell.co.uk/goose-and-common-lyrics.php

Lyrics: The law locks up the man or woman Who steals the goose from off the common, But leaves the greater villain loose Who steals the common from the goose.

Chorus: Who remembers when, who remembers how The crimes committed then became the laws that bind us now?

The law demands that we atone When we take things we do not own, But leaves the lords and ladies fine Who take things that are yours and mine.

The poor and wretched don't escape If they conspire the law to break. This must be so, but they endure Those who conspire to make the law.

The law locks up the man or woman Who steals the goose from off the common, But geese will still a common lack Until they go and steal it back.

Verse lyrics: traditional Chorus lyrics + all music: Helen Bell

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