The Night Watchman

In the spring-time of my life, when I was still but a boy

I was taken out on a fine autumn night, the evening to enjoy

By the Old Green Man we came to rest where trees and hedges grow

And there by a hut a night watchman sat with a brazier all aglow

A brazier all aglow, A brazier all aglow

And there by a hut a night watchman sat

With a brazier all aglow

He stroked his stubbled chin with his hand and shook out a bucket of coke

Lit up a Woodbine, sat down with a sigh and then the old man spoke

As he showed us a medal at the end of the chain that he got from a native chief

And spun some yarns of red Indians bold and of tales beyond belief

Of tales beyond belief, Of tales beyond belief

He spun some yarns of red Indians bold

And of tales beyond belief

He spoke of the horrors of the first Great War and faded snaps did show

To the boys and girls that were gathered there, their faces all aglow

In the light of the brazier as it shone in the night, how many I am not sure

But as each story ended the cry went up ‘Uncle Jack please tell us one more’

Uncle Jack please tell us one more, Uncle Jack please tell us one more

As each story ended, the cry went up

Uncle Jack please tell us one more

So he told us another and then one more as he supped from an old tin mug

While he roasted our chestnuts by the brazier bright and he gave the spade a tug

We toasted a crust on the end of a twig, burned our fingers on a blackened spud

‘Twas a magical evening I’ll never forget, as we sat round the watchman’s hut

We sat round the watchman’s hut, We sat round the watchman’s hut

‘Twas a magical evening, I’ll never forget

As we sat round the watchman’s hut

Tony Prior Oct 2004

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