He's just a sentimental lonely old man 11

I've watched now for twenty-five years 9

He lives in a stone house - and he drives a van 11 

And when he gets hurt - he cries real tears 9



He lost all his hair right after moving in 11

And then later he put on quite a bit of weight 12

He was under a lot of stress way back then 11

Trying to raise a family who wouldn't wait 12



Then all of those five small kids grew up 9

And one after the other moved out 10

Leaving just two of them there to sup 9 

Then ... there was only him to talk about 10



Nobody knew what he did in that house 10

Only that he was always there inside ... 10

For many years he was quiet as a mouse 10

Now we find he was always there alive 10



Seeing to his very own thing with pride 10

Accomplishing more in a funny sort of way 12

Than some others who're always on a ride 10

The man still is an enigma tho, to this day 12



Just that sometimes he seems so dazed and confused 13

Talking to himself or perhaps wildly gesturing 13

I wonder how much of who he is today is due ... 13

To the things we/they make up in order to be "in"13



Out of jealousy, or some other negative emotion 15

Or - perhaps, just because they really know not 11

The man at all - so they make up their very little notions 15

Rather than taking time to go and to knock ... 11



On the door, and quite possibly make friends with him 12

Something they've avoided over all these long years 12

And so - that old man just looks back at the glass dim 12

Licking at corners of his lips ... those lonely tears ... 12



- Tristram



(c) Christopher W. Thomas

7:07pm October 7th, 1998