My Little Shirtwaist Fire

Once it started the frail and fainthearted Just withered to the floor Oh, so sadly we examined hands burned badly By that which no man fears more The terrible flames of all that remains Of my little shirtwaist fire My best friend was alone in the alcove Does anyone see her there? Such a sweet face trapped in a staircase By the smell of her own burning hair And the terrible flames of all that remains Of my little shirtwaist fire Glow baby glow as the embers they died there Nobody knows what we saw inside there Twisting and burning the girls' fine young bodies Yes, we're burning can you help us please? Yes, we're begging, we're on bended knees Oh, my little shirtwaist fire Girls work hard for small rewards Or invitations to dine Or one kind word from one who loves them But what I have earned is mine The terrible flames of all that remains Of my little shirtwaist fire Glow baby glow as the embers they died there Nobody knows what we saw inside there Twisting and burning, the girls' fine young bodies Yes, we're burning can you help us please? Yes, we're begging, we're on bended knees Oh, my little shirtwaist fire