Home Away from Home

She was twenty six when she came to the burgh
Where the family secrets stop at the curb
I was nine when she moved next door
She had married a republican
He was for the war
He was mean he beat her up
All the time preaching that republican stuff
Hated blacks he hated jews
He knelt down sunday at our lady of the blues
Over at my house things were sad
Because my folks were always fighting
That made me feel bad
I went to her door with a cookie tin
I said i am your neighbor could you let me in
She was big having a baby
She asked me are you hungry and i said maybe
She gave me soup a piece of toast
She gave me what i needed the most
Thank you for the love you gave to me as a child
There must have been so much pain that you never cried
In my home away from home
Then one day we found a sick bird
On the very same doorstep
Where i first met her
Being a nurse she took the bird in
And fed her with an eyedropper
Till the following spring
When the time came to let the bird go
This is what she said when i cried no
If you keep her locked inside honey
She won't be able to fly
Thank you for the love you gave to me as a child
There must have been so much pain that you kept inside
In my home away from home