Plundered by the posse
In the crosshairs,
brothers maimed
By racketeers in deed
By scoundrels in name
Steadfast and honest
Apogees of esteem
Bootstraps in their hands
An American dream
They danced 'cross the ocean
They danced from the past
They dance for their freedom
Hard won at last

A beacon of mercy
Within site, out of reach
A home and a shelter
Earned fairly and neat
A hand for every neighbor
Speak the truth, take a knee
Whatever their labor
Their records are clean
They danced down in Jersey
They danced first and last
They dance for their freedom
Hard won at last

The feds take their action
Permission's paper-thin
Four days, back to nothing
Leave it all, turn it in
Thugs in blue and black
Waving guns, taking names
In the name of man and God
The privileged, the profane
They danced for each other
They danced for repast
They danced for a freedom
Here and gone, not to last

Thirty months in the chapel
Family sundered, living fear
In darkness, holy stone house
The only refuge held dear
Backs broken by the burden
Necks bleeding from the chains
Cold iron of injustice
An invisible stain
They danced behind walls
They danced through
broken glass
They dance for their freedom
Hard won at last