Someday I'll be in bed by eight.
No longer will I toil this late.
The moon above, my constant friend,
will keep me safe and sound til then.
Like girls who live on that estate,
someday I'll be in bed by eight,
Those rich young ladies dressed in silk,
who sip exotic tea with milk.
I dip wood matchsticks all day long,
til crickets sing their evening song.
Someday I'll be in bed by eight.
The times are changing - I can't wait.
I hear protestors reprimand.
"Protect the children," they demand.
New labor laws will set things straight.
Someday I'll be in bed by eight.
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Author Notes
The Matchgirl Strike took place in London in 1888, exposing the dreadful conditions under which young women and children as young as four worked in match factories. They dipped matches for 14 hours a day in phosphorus, which gave many cancer. The strike made legislators aware of the need for change. Some concessions were made, but it was not until 1906 that they stopped using phosphorus.
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