Edinburgh's Son

Edinburgh’s son in the Edinburgh rain

A good Edinburgh soldier hereby

Crossed the wide ocean where none knew my name

An Edinburgh father am I

Born at the end of an Edinburgh street

When the sun took the piss from the rain

Learned crying or singing it’s all the same

In this family earning their name

He said papist or pagan you follow yourself

Raise your hands when hands need be raised

And I’ll love you with all of the love in my heart

Remembered for all of my days

From ghoulies and ghosties and long legged beasts

Lord deliver us all

A boy soldier I left my childhood there

For war and far ports of call

The best and the worst of a decade we spent

Dog days and snow days and then

Kissed Helena and children tears in my eyes

To answer the call once again

Stop yer ticklin’ Jimmy and Jack

For you’re no longer a boy

A man’s a man for a’ that and more

That’s my poem, my book and my joy

Take this old photo and keep it with you

When memories fade and turn grey

Here is a child standing next to his dad

Trousers pissed ‘cause he wanted to play

My last song from the Song A Week project... about my grandfather.