The Backyard Of My Life
Old Man With The Old Oak Cane
Wandering aimlessly around the suburban streets
With a hunch back and an old oak cane
Picking up empty tin cans and scraps of used shopping receipts
Slowly shuffling down the sidewalk in the sun
Teenagers laughing and pointing at him behind his back
I've seen him lots of times before
I always think to myself what is he doing it for
Why whats the reason why I'm so sure there's a reason?
Dose he take them home to his cardboard house?
Dose he put them on display somewhere?
Dose he really want to preserve the environment?
Dose he trade them for money that's slipped through his fingers?
At the betting shop or the boozer
Wearing the same clothes as yesterday and the week before
A pair of odd shoes and broken reading glasses
God almighty old man are you gonna smoke that second hand stogie?
He has a look on his face that says I've seen hard times
But I'm still standing I'm still here doing the best i can
I've seen him many times before
Feeding the pigeons with scraps he found on the floor
I tell myself he must be lonely with no place to go
Maybe his wife is in a nursing home
Maybe he has no next of kin
Maybe hes a secret millionaire after all
When you have got nothing then you have got nothing left to lose
I pondered that thought for a while
Then i carried on up the path thinking about my own problems
By Keith Hagger
