Torn clothes, bare feet
Walking up and down the street.
Little food for five to eat;
Torn clothes, Bare feet.

With hopes of more than just one penny;
Nickels, dimes- they don't have any.
One side item a week from Denny's;
With hopes of more than just a penny.

Mommy said, "Daddy has plans,"
Or at least that's what she understands.
With so little money to feed ten hands;
Mommy said, "Daddy has plans."

He left about a week ago,
A job was waiting- He'd said so.
But is it true? Who could know-
He left about a week ago.

Walking anywhere to stay on course,
Would daddy file for their divorce?
But one person to feed four;
Walking anywhere to stay on course.

Grandma is in a better place,
A smile sketched upon her face.
She died alone without a trace;
Grandma's in a better place.

Two months later- the children are old.
A better place, they are told.
Your dreams will be your new mold;
Two months later- the children are old.

One day momma turned around.
She headed back to her home town.
She couldn't take the painful sounds;
One day momma turned around.

She heard her children softly crying,
She dreamed of peacefully slowly dying.
And only wondered of all his lying;
She heard her children softly crying.

Years have passed, quickly spent.
She could barely afford her monthly rent.
Nickels, dimes- were such a dent.
Years have passed, quickly spent.

Eighteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-four.
Four children knocked on their mom's front door.
She creaked it open just a little more;
Eighteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-four.

Momma could not believe her eyes,
The sounds she heard were her own soft cries.
She never wondered about the way she'd die;
Momma could not believe her eyes.

They stepped inside her tiny room,
Cries of happiness, grief and gloom.
Her oldest son was now a groom;
They stepped inside her tiny room.

Her other daughter was getting wed,
"Have you seen daddy," was what she said.
A rumor has it he was dead,
Her other daughter was getting wed.

"It's been twelve years," they told their mother.
Not a day went by that they didn't love her.
But now they didn't want to be a bother;
"It's been twelve years," they told there mother.

"Now who will walk me down the aisle?
No one has daddy's jubilant smile."
They say it will all be worthwhile, but
"Who will walk me down the aisle?"

The brothers and sisters paid momma's last rent,
Days and weeks would soon be spent.
Nickels and dimes- they left no dent;
The brothers and sisters paid momma's last rent.

Fancy clothes, covered feet;
Walking up and down the streets.
Plenty of food for five to eat.
Fancy clothes, covered feet.

Daddy saved just enough,
To walk the countryside- was tough.
To just find a way to keep in touch-
Daddy saved just enough.

Decent clothes, sandaled feet,
Walking up and down the street.
He didn't care enough to eat.
Decent clothes, sandaled feet.

Daddy decided to turn around,
To walk back to his own hometown.
His smile replaced with a hideous frown;
Daddy decided to turn around.

Walking past the house they did own,
daddy collapsed and felt so alone.
He wished his presence could have been know;
Walking past the house they did own.

He solemnly wished for a better place,
To take the hideous frown off his face.
To see his mother with oh so much grace;
He solemnly wished for a better place.

They walked to his car and sat down.
Momma's smile replaced with a frown.
It had been so long since she drove around town;
They walked to his car and sat down.

"Lets take a drive," her eldest said.
"It's alright, I wish I were dead.
I miss the man I had once wed,"
"Let's take a drive," her eldest said.

A drive down main street was tough enough.
The potholes, the speed-bumps were oh so rough.
Mom was weak, her body not tough;
A drive down main street was tough enough.

A sharp turn left, a slight turn right.
Five miles ahead, soon in sight.
Mom clenched her teeth, her mouth shut tight;
A sharp turn left, a slight turn right.

"Why are you doing this to me?
I can barely walk, barely see.
But still I know where you're going, baby;
Why are you doing this to me?"

"Just close your eyes," her eldest spoke.
Around the block, her heart just broke.
She wished she had never quickly awoke;
"Just close your eyes," her eldest spoke.

"I can't do this," she said, he applied the brake.
"My heart, my soul, my dreams at stake?"
The car door opened, not a mistake.
"I can't do this," she said, he applied the brake.

Mom stepped out and then fell down,
She poured her tears out, and kissed the ground.
He picked her up, with tears in his eyes.
"Welcome home," he said, "Surprise."