Lyrics

Lyrics of family love

 

CRADLE

(Holding Trey, my baby boy)

 

Sometimes I’m still surprised

When I look into your eyes

At the love that swells inside of me

 

God must have looked down

In his grace

And seen a more deserving face

But no place else on earth

For you to be

 

My cradle’s full

My life is too

I’d gladly give

My world for you

 

And I think I know the meaning now

Of love that never dies

It’s the love I feel

When I look into your eyes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MAMA

 

Mama never had a lot

Discount clothes and secondhand

Never had a lot of time

And what she had

She always gave away

 

Never was the crying kind

Said it all would be just fine

Did the best with what was there

And never cared what other folks would say

 

Stood by us through thick and thin

Fought until the bitter end

Saw me through my angry years

And never left me once

Out in the cold

 

Gentle manner

Kind of heart

Seldom did her teardrops start

Then one day she broke my heart

Said it once

That she was growing old

 

I have lived life recklessly

Always on my own and free

Took for granted all that she

Had been to me

And what she’d be again

 

All the times I didn’t care

Nights I helped to frost the hair

To the gray that I put there

Never thinking it would ever end

 

Staying out till way past three

Knowing she’d wait up for me

Praying for me endlessly

It seems unfair

That I could be that blind

 

 

 

Time is closing all my doors

What I’d give if just once more

I could be worth waiting for

Rearrange the past

And turn back time

 

As always when you’re wise

I felt the blow

Those gray eyes told me

All there was to know

 

With all the times she’d tried to let me know

With all the times she’d tried to tell me so

That one day she would go

I never thought it so

 

Mama never had a lot

Discount clothes

And second hand

Never had a lot of time

And what she had

She always gave away

 

Never was the crying kind

Said it all would be just fine

Did the best with what was there

And never cared what other folks would say

 

Stood by us through thick and thin

fought until the bitter end

saw me through my angry years

and never left me once out in the cold

 

gentle manner

kind of heart

seldom did her teardrops start

then one day she broke my heart

said it once

that she was growing old

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE AUTHOR OF THE POET

 

In loving memory of dad

 

My poetry lives within you

Deep in the crevice of your mind

You should have been the writer

Born before his time

 

You should have been the singer

Found my lyrics in your soul

You’ll always be the dreamer

From whose veins my music flows

 

You showed me how to listen

To the songs inside my head

You taught me full expression

In the things you did and said

 

You made of me the writer

Put your pen within my hands

You made of me the singer

Put your music in my band

 

And you

Made the poet of me

You’re everyone I ever was

And what I’ll never be

You

Put my life in my hands

The author of the poet

Who made me everything I am

 

My poetry lives within you

Deep in the crevice of your mind

You should have been the writer

Born before his time

You should have been the singer

Found my lyrics in your soul

You’ll always be the dreamer

From whose veins my music flows

 

 

OH DADDY

 

Dusty hardbacks on your shelves

Secrets told to no one else

Secrets shared with no one else

Only me

 

When you’re out and drunk

And you smell of wine

Nobody cares to see

Who you might be

Oh daddy

Who you could be

 

I’ve heard your laughter

Seen you cry

And wonder why life

Is passing you by

Feel so free

yet so alone

Turn it all loose

Then hold on

To something wrong

To someone wrong

And oh daddy

No one’s that strong

 

Oh daddy

How I wish I could set you free

I’ve watched the bottle take you

Piece by piece

Just spinning wheels

And killing all of your time

While all your dreams are meeting their defeat

Oh daddy

Will you ever find

Any peace from the wine

 

You’ve lost your jobs

And oh so many friends

Too many times

That’s the way the story ends

 

 

 

 

And I could lie

And say

That there aren’t times

I’d rather never have known you

Than to see you in the state you’re in

And its been said

You’re like the walking dead

And oh daddy

The tears I’ve shed

 

Oh daddy

How I wish I could set you free

I’ve watched the bottle take you

Piece by piece

Just spinning wheels

And wasting all of your time

While all your dreams are meeting their defeat

Oh daddy

Will we ever find

Any peace from the wine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RAINING IN MY HEART

 

To Cheryl

 

Guess it’s time that you move on

A goodbye kiss

And you’ll be gone

It’s raining, raining, raining

Raining in my heart

I’ve got my plans

I’ve got my soul

And I shouldn’t lose control

Still it’s raining

Raining, raining

Raining in my heart

 

There’s a yearning in my heart

That we shouldn’t have to part

Still I know it’s only fair

To wish you well

 

We make our choices

I am told

When we’re much too young to know

It’s raining, raining, raining

Raining in my heart

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CANDLE

(on losing mama)

 

I was born beside a candle

Precious candle keep me warm

Always burn beside me mama

If with years you’re old and worn

 

You were sent like fire from heaven

As the night transforms to day

Bringing light into the darkness

God, don’t take my sun away

 

In my times of darkest sorrow

Constant flames have warmed me still

In my search for brighter candles

You burned brighter, brighter still

 

I have lived beside a candle

Now its warmth is fueled by doubt

As I watch its fire grow dimmer

Flicker lower, flicker out

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GRANDMOTHER SWEET

(to Carrie Dean Digby)

 

How I love you, Grandmother

Your braids waxen gold

Such rich charming beauty

Though body be old

remember the dresses

I wore as a child

Each one had your stitches

Your warm giving style

 

You’re an artist Madonna

A joy to behold

The love you gave mother

On me she’s bestowed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE ROCK

 

(a lyric for mama)

 

You are constant like the river

As it flows beside my door

As a diamond ever glowing

Or the sea’s consistent roar

 

As the flowers bloom in springtime

You will harvest evermore

Always loving

Ever giving

To the children you adore

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE PLAYER

(a lyric written by daddy)

 

I talked to a man

Who lost at a game

Though he played

Till he nearly was dead

And I asked him

Mister, how does it feel

He smiled at me quietly

And said

 

Please don’t imagine

It’s easy to lose

When you’ve suffered and bled

And still stayed

But one thing remains

That eases my pain

I played my best while I played

 

Now, if I could look back

On the game that is done

And think of one single place

Where I lost

Because I was yellow at heart

You’d see no smile on my face

 

It’s hard to lose

When you’ve tried so hard

For the cup

And you still haven’t made it

But it’s great to look back

on the game that is done

Saying, I played my best

while I played it

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I

 

Author's Note

True lyrics of family love, life and death