The Wages of Death by Dick Miles
At the age of twenty a happy young bride
now fifteen years on and my husband has died
Im left with just memories of our happy times
and sadness and anger at the loss of his life.

well we moved down south for the jobs were so few
with two hungry children what else could we do
no money for holidays we were always too broke
not knowing that death would play this cruel joke

so,my husband got a job in a factory close by
cutting asbestos ,the wages were fine
the children were happy with plenty of food
a dream had come true wed never had it so good

Then soon a dream to a nightmare did turn
the wages of death my husband has earned
no longer through the hallway will his sweet laughter ring
no longer for me will the birds ever sing

if i had known then what i now know
no money or gold would persuade him to go
to work at a job which squeezed his last breath
unknowingly sold for the wages of death

written mid 80s, tune The Indian Lass