tend the garden

I was young, it was the 60's you see I never wanted to be the chief of anything So it was singing in the church for me Behind the organ was as close as I'd ever be There was a woman that I knew before She was in Auckland, she was spoken for My hair was short, my skin was brown I did construction work from town to town There were things we did and should not have done Been half a century since I seen my sons Lord knows if they would ever forgive me I won't forgive myself at least There are strange forces In the air only time can unleash In a way, I still believe I fell in love, it was the 90's you see I met a woman across the Tasman in '83 And we settled down and raised a couple kids But I couldn't bring myself to tell 'em what I did I hope that one day if they find my sons They'll tell 'em everything that I've become And I will hold it 'til my dying breath When I tend the garden, I will think of them But my youngest kid, he can't shut his mouth I guess it won't be long 'til the truth is out Lord knows if they would ever forgive me I don't forgive myself at least There are strange forces In the air only time can release In a way, I still believe You know, with your dad Um, he had his reasons You know, to, to leave the island Go to New Zealand, to go to Australia In the instance of pain I look straight down at the iris If the irises fade I spend days out in the yard In the absence of rain I take a seat down at the organ I play Lord, I play Ah