So many years ago

I remember old Ted Wilson
Us boys saw him in the forest
That was so many years ago

Lived in this old timber shack
With smoke coming out the chimney
Blue snake drifting up to heaven

Ted was a rough diamond Dad said
Poor as a church mouse Mum chipped in
I saw he had dirty fingernails

Grimy overalls, smutty voice
Not that us kids minded that not us
He had one of those old tin baths

Just hanging on a nail outside
All rusted through no good at all
Not that he had a use for it

Don't think he had friends either
Just had this dog that welcomed us
A mutt of doubtful parentage

That ran round and round in circles
When we passed because he liked us
One day we got caught in the rain

So ran back there for shelter
Old Ted took us in to dry off
The wood flared up as he poked it

The dog wagged his tail then backed off
When the tongues of flame shot upwards
The rain beat against the window

But that was many years ago
He's been long gone now my dad too
Both served in the war together

Sadly when he got home again
His wife had been killed by a bomb
And he never got over that

Image found at www.scotmacinnis.com