tend the garden

I was young, it was the '60s you see

I never wanted to be the chief of anything

So it was singing in the church for me

Behind the organ was as close as I'd ever be

There was a woman that I knew before

She was in Auckland, she was spoken for

My hair was short, my skin was brown

I did construction work from town to town

There were things we did and should not have done

Been half a century since I've seen my sons

Lord knows if

They would ever forgive me, I won't

Forgive myself at least

There are strange forces

In the air only time can unleash

In a way, I still believe

I fell in love, it was the '90s you see

I met a woman across the Tasman in '83

And we settled down and raised a couple kids

But I couldn't bring myself to tell 'em what I did

I hope that one day if they find my sons

They'll tell 'em everything that I've become

And I will hold it till my dying breath

When I tend the garden, I will think of them

But my youngest kid, he can't shut his mouth

I guess it won't be long till the truth is out

Lord knows if

They would ever forgive me, I don't

Forgive myself at least

There are strange forces

In the air only time can release

In a way, I still believe

In the instance of pain

I look straight down at the iris

If the irises fade

I spend days out in the yard

In the absence of rain

I take a seat down at the organ

And I play

Lord, I play

Ah!