Retirement

As I Sat in a Field of Gold

As I sat in a field of gold
The corn above my head
The autumn days were closing in
And winter lay ahead

This coming time, I knew ahead
Was going to be dark,
As all things warm had gone to ground,
And fled was Satan’s Ark.

As I sat in the field of gold
The corn above my head
The German tanks came rolling by
So death, not far ahead

Man does this thing to everything
So man can’t go with pride
As I sat in the field of gold
I crossed my arms and cried

As I sat in the field of gold
I did not cry for man
But little things that did no harm
That made me what I am

SHIPPING LANES

The sky was white with passing clouds
A balmy day in France
The skipper shouted come on me lads
We’re going home to dance!!

We stowed the boat, the lines came in,
The buoys were put away
We headed north to Comfort Bay
Where home and family lay

The passing clouds turned grey that night
The Sun’s just hit the floor
The rain came down, the sea o.k.
As darkness wanted more

St Catherine point was on our right
Her light was shining bright
With Portland Bill - been there for years
You know you got it right

The shipping lane was full of boats
As far as the eye could see
We have to get this one right
Or Davey Jones for me

We picked the boats to go between
Our bearings from his lights
The gap appeared and through we went
Thank Heaven we got it right

Our radio crackled into life
A Frenchman’s voice was heard
Big ship, big ship, do you see me now
Then nothing more was heard

One more shipping lane to cross,
St Catherine light so bright
Portland Bill the mason home
I hope we got it right

Through the lanes we came that night
Ask me what’s that bell,
Would we do it all again
Oh what the bloody hell!

The Circle

When I woke up this summer day, the sun and moon not far away,
With the heat of the day and the smell of the hay, by God death felt miles away.

When I woke up this autumn day, my chest complaint was here to stay,
No work today, no pay today, my three year old might die today,
It’s not as warm as yesterday.

My God told me to pray today, his winter was not far away,
again the sun and moon came out, but it’s much colder than yesterday