LITTLE OLD CHRISTMAS TREE
EARLY MORNING I AWOKE, TO THE SOUND OF THOSE NEIGHBOUR FOLK
THE WOULD BE SINGING AS THEY WALK UP TO THAT CHURCH
THERE WOULD BE TOMMY AND BILLY JO
THEY USED TO FIGHT AND PLAY IN THE SNOW
AND THE SMELL OF LOG FIRES WOULD HANG HERE IN THE AIR
BUT THERE WAS JUST MA AND ME, WITH THIS LITTLE OLD CHRISTMAS TREE
WITH THE COFFEE BREWING AS WE SAT HERE BY OUR STOVE
I USED TO PRAY FOR SANTA’S TOYS
LISTEN OUT FOR THAT SLEIGH BELL NOISE
BUT THERE WAS JUST MA AND ME AND OUR LITTLE OLD CHRISTMAS TREE
BUT LITTLE TOMMY WOULD COME ON BY, AND KIND OF LOOK ME IN THE EYE
AND HE’D SHOW TOYS WHICH SANTA GAVE
BUT MY MA WOULD SAY TO ME, COME AND SIT HERE BY THE TREE
WE DON’T HAVE MUCH BUT SON BUT YOU SURELY DO HAVE ME
BUT THERE WAS JUST MA AND ME, WITH THAT LITTLE OLD CHRISTMAS TREE
AND WITH THE COFFEE BREWING AS WE SAT HERE BY OUR STOVE
AND THE DAYS THEY TURNED INTO YEARS
AND OLD SANTA HE NEVER APPEARED
I TELL YOU THERE WAS JUST MY MA AND ME
WELL OLD TOMMY HE GREW OLDER, AND HE MOVED AWAY TO LIVE
AND THE CHURCH WELL IT STILL STANDS
BUT NO ONE GOES THERE ANY MORE
AND MY MA WELL SHE PASSED ON
AND EVERY CHRISTMAS I DO AS I PROMISED HER
AS I SIT HERE BESIDE OUR LITTLE OLD CHRISTMAS TREE
BUT THERE WAS JUST MA AND ME
WITH THAT LITTLE OLD CHRISTMAS TREE
WITH THE COFFEE BREWING AS WE SAT HERE BY OUR STOVE
AND IF YOU ASKED ME TIME AGAIN
WOULD I SWAP THIS WITH MY FRIENDS
I’D TELL YOU NO
I USED TO LOVETHAT OLD CHRISTMAS TREE
WELL IF YOU ASKED ME WOULD I SWAP FOR YOUNG TOMMYS’ AND BILLYS’ LOT
ID TELL YOU NO, THERE WAS JUST MY MA AND ME
© Tony Clarke 2014