ALWAYS IN MY HEART
Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2010 12:17 am
This is a favourite of mine that fell of the perch when the old site went down. It's had a bit of mouth to mouth resuscitation and is up and running again with a bit of modification and a new audio clip. Hope you like it.
http://www.pool.org.au/audio/mahalia/always_in_my_heart
ALWAYS IN MY HEART
He sat by the fire with a cold beer or two close at hand.
His Akubra was battered and worn, dirty round the sweat band.
On the gum tree nearby he had tethered his mate, who was happy to rest and contented to wait.
Whilst the old dog lay dreaming of rabbits and pigs he had chased.
The day had been long and the old bloke was long past his prime.
He longed for his homeland and he often thought of the dreamtime.
He wondered if one day he would make it back. Travel the long miles down the Nullabor track,
see the salt pans and spinifex plains, and old tracks long erased.
He thought of the women he'd loved, the young bride he'd wed.
He often felt her presence at night though for years she'd been dead.
Many times as he lay to sleep under the stars, he regretted the time that he'd wasted in bars.
And the dollars he'd wasted on horses that on the tracks raced.
But no time for regrets for times past, what was done was done.
A home's never a home when you're living there all on your own.
Which was why he was here tonight staring at walls, just him and the dog and old memories recalled,
though with family, happiness, love, his life had once been graced.
Somewhere in the city he'd two kids who'd grown up alone.
As a father he won no awards, needed now to atone.
Many years had passed by, he missed his son and daughter, he realized blood was thicker than water.
What to do was the question he asked and the problem he faced.
He knew that to settle the feud someone must make a start.
He'd leave for the city tomorrow, to much time spent apart.
He hoped that for his sins he would be forgiven, by love and by need he was desperately driven.
He knew he had let them down badly and himself disgraced.
That decision now made, he rolled out his swag for the night.
Banked down the fire, and said prayers underneath heavenly light..
Sometime during the night, spirits stole him away, and he never made the trip to the city next day.
But when found, there beside him his old battered Bible he'd placed .
Inside there were photos. A pressed, ribbon bound , withered rose.
A key and a fob watch, tarnished medals, a few words of prose.
The words were as follows and here I do quote, 'I loved you every day' were the words he had wrote.
'but now realize my life on my own selfish dreams was based.
How I wish every day we could all be together once more.
To live our lives over, reclaim happy times shared before.
But I know in my heart of hearts this just cannot be, so I hope and I pray that you can forgive me.
For my love for you always in my heart was safely encased.
Maureen Clifford ©
http://www.pool.org.au/audio/mahalia/always_in_my_heart
ALWAYS IN MY HEART
He sat by the fire with a cold beer or two close at hand.
His Akubra was battered and worn, dirty round the sweat band.
On the gum tree nearby he had tethered his mate, who was happy to rest and contented to wait.
Whilst the old dog lay dreaming of rabbits and pigs he had chased.
The day had been long and the old bloke was long past his prime.
He longed for his homeland and he often thought of the dreamtime.
He wondered if one day he would make it back. Travel the long miles down the Nullabor track,
see the salt pans and spinifex plains, and old tracks long erased.
He thought of the women he'd loved, the young bride he'd wed.
He often felt her presence at night though for years she'd been dead.
Many times as he lay to sleep under the stars, he regretted the time that he'd wasted in bars.
And the dollars he'd wasted on horses that on the tracks raced.
But no time for regrets for times past, what was done was done.
A home's never a home when you're living there all on your own.
Which was why he was here tonight staring at walls, just him and the dog and old memories recalled,
though with family, happiness, love, his life had once been graced.
Somewhere in the city he'd two kids who'd grown up alone.
As a father he won no awards, needed now to atone.
Many years had passed by, he missed his son and daughter, he realized blood was thicker than water.
What to do was the question he asked and the problem he faced.
He knew that to settle the feud someone must make a start.
He'd leave for the city tomorrow, to much time spent apart.
He hoped that for his sins he would be forgiven, by love and by need he was desperately driven.
He knew he had let them down badly and himself disgraced.
That decision now made, he rolled out his swag for the night.
Banked down the fire, and said prayers underneath heavenly light..
Sometime during the night, spirits stole him away, and he never made the trip to the city next day.
But when found, there beside him his old battered Bible he'd placed .
Inside there were photos. A pressed, ribbon bound , withered rose.
A key and a fob watch, tarnished medals, a few words of prose.
The words were as follows and here I do quote, 'I loved you every day' were the words he had wrote.
'but now realize my life on my own selfish dreams was based.
How I wish every day we could all be together once more.
To live our lives over, reclaim happy times shared before.
But I know in my heart of hearts this just cannot be, so I hope and I pray that you can forgive me.
For my love for you always in my heart was safely encased.
Maureen Clifford ©