There's a way of life that most folks don't even know about   When the cotton crop fails and the garden dries up because of the drought   And your only clothes're hangin' on your back and they're all wornout   And there's patches on the patches on your knees   The night wind whistles through the cracks and holes in the bedroom walls   The high water comes and it takes your house barn and all   You work like a dog to raise a fat hog and he dies in the fall   It's trouble and strife in the way of life called poverty   Poverty is a broken down shack and a greedy landlord   And your money crop beaten down by the summer storm   And you never see Washington's head on a greenback dollar   Poverty is a wishing to the Lord that you've never been born   [ steel ]   Try to catch a rabbit in a knee deep snow for somethin' to eat   But all you catch is a winter cough and frozen feet   The rabbits done gone and you gotta go home without any meat   Wouldn't be so bad if there wasn't six kids depended on me   We'd starve to death a long time ago hadn't been for ole blue   Blues mold hound dog and he's a good in two   He'll catch them coons where there ain't no coons he'll see us through   This trouble and strife in the way of life called poverty   Poverty is a broken down shack...   [ harmonica ]   Poverty is a workin' six days from dawn to dusk   Seventh day is Sunday and go to church you must   When they pass their heads around you just sit there with your head hung down   Cause you ain't got between you and the devil and the deep blue see   It's trouble and strife in the way of life called poverty   It's trouble and strife in the way of life called poverty