The man in the chair

 

 

The Man in the Chair

For all her eight years there were tantrums and tears

when her Daddy set off for the game

‘Why can’t you take me?’ she had said with a plea

Till one day he said, ‘It’s time that you came.’

 

Eyes wide with wonder, at last she was there

She looked at her Daddy and smiled,

‘Daddy,’ she said, ‘ who is that man in the chair?’

He knelt and said ‘listen my child…’

 

A long time ago, long before we were born

The children went hungry at night,

Some younger than you had jobs they must do

Their lives were a struggle and fight,

 

Some went to school with no shoes on their feet

Some didn’t go there at all,

Some walked the streets to beg those they’d meet

Some worked in the mills or great halls

 

And it tore at the hearts of Mothers who’d say

‘Things will be better tomorrow.’

Though they’d work and they’d pray they knew the next day

Would repeat all the struggles and sorrow

 

Then that man in chair decided to act

He started this fine football team

The money they made fed children each day

and things weren’t as bad as they’d been

 

So you see my sweet child, that man sitting there

did good things a long time ago

We remember each day, if we’re passing this way

we must all help his kindness to grow

 

Her face deep in thought she knew she must not

Forget the lesson she learned there that day

‘So the man sitting there reminds us to care?’

Her Father nodded, ‘That was always his way.’

 

The child looked around at a roar from the ground

as the wind blew her long auburn hair,

She let go of his hand and she walked to the man

Who gazed at her from his great chair

 

Then she knelt to the ground as the people around

stopped to watch this little child pray

She said, ‘Never again will we let heartless men

see the children go hungry each day’

 

Then she stood with a smile as he walked to his child

Took her hand and with infinite care,

They walked to the ground and the child looked around

and whispered ‘Thank you’ to the man in the chair.