My name is Mary Clare Malloy I was born in County Cork

At 18 years of age I sailed for the shores of old New York

With 700 picture brides torn tween hope and fear

At last we spied Manhattan 71910,-729)and the famous Isle of Tears

My first taste of the New World turned to ashes very fast

The ones who entered freely were from first and second class

We steerage folk remained on board as if we were exiles

The captain turned the ship around 100620,-449)and sailed to Ellis Isle

We disembarked and stood in line with chalk marks on our coats

X for mental illness if E back on the boat

They asked us what our breeding was could we read or write

The sound of women weeping 128660,-419)set the dormitories at night

My best friend was deported back to a poor Killea home

Another sent to Swinburne Isle died of cholera alone

The rest of us were shipped to trains bound for Midwest states

To wild and stormy prairie lands 157560,-409)and our prospective mates

He's American primitive man

In an American primitive land

Irish eyes and calloused hands

American primitive man