Micca - if I understand the arguments on the SCA newsgroups corectly, ANY clan member is entitled to ONE feather....so no feather would be not a member of the clan...so that interpretation would probably go along with the being poor. I tried to find more lyrics to put this in context and found a clip that included words about wishing she could be clad in satins and silk, so I am more inclined to interprete the qouted line as that the woman was poverty-stricken....but would be interested in seeing all the lyrics if anyone has them.