This day, a year ago, he was rolling in the snow
with a younger brother in his fatherand's yard.
christmas break - a time for touching home
the heart of all heand'd known, and leaving was so hard -
three thousand miles away, now heand's working christmas day
making double time for andquot;the minding of the storeandquot;...
well, heand'd always said heand'd make it on his own
heand's spending christmas eve alone.
first christmas away from home.
Sheand's standing by the train station, panhandling for change
four more dollars buys a decent meal and a room.
looks like the sally ann place after all,
in a crowded sleeping hall that echoes like a tomb
but itand's warm and clean and free and there are worse places to be,
and at least it means no beating from her dad
and if she cries because itand's christmas day
she hopes that it wonand't show...
first christmas away from home.
In the apartment stands a tree, and it looks so small and bare
not like it was meant to be
the golden angel on the top, itand's not that same old silver star
you wanted for your own
first christmas away from home.
In the morning, they get prayers, then itand's crafts and tea downstairs
then another meal back in his little room
hoping maybe that andquot;the boysandquot; will think to phone before the day is gone
well, itand's best they do it soon.
when the andquot;old girlandquot; passed away, he fell more apart each day
each had always kept the other pretty well
but the kids all said the nursing home was best
and'cause he couldnand't live alone...
first christmas away from home.
In the common room theyand've got the biggest tree
and itand's huge and cold and lifeless,
not like it ought to be
and the lit-up flashing santa claus on top
itand's not that same old silver star you once made for your own
first christmas away from home.
