From the recording A Good Dog Is Lost (A Collection Of Ron Hynes Songs)
Lyrics
He was sitting on the stairway
My heart filled up with dread
His hands were clenched
His clothes were drenched
I knew that he was dead
And I turned away a moment
When I looked back he was gone
And I went and I woke my mother
I said mother something’s wrong, something’s wrong
He was here but for a moment
Those were the words she spoke
I thought that I was dreaming
But it was an hour ago I woke
I swear I heard him call my name
And a horrid grinding sound
I fear my dear he’s lost his way
His ship has run aground, it’s run aground
Go down and wake your brother
And your baby sister too
Say nothing now of what’s occurred
But say I’ve things to do
There’s short-wave radio up the cove
For ship to shore distress
Go down and make some breakfast
And I’ll get up and get dressed
Hmmm Hmmm Hmmm
The dawn was fairly breaking
As she headed down the path
Where the water crashed across the rocks
With all its rage and wrath
But her heart had gone to ashes
And the ice chewed thru her bones
And her footsteps fell like granite
As she came back home alone
Hmmm Hmmm Hmmm
She stood inside the doorway
And she turned towards the cove
She took down the blessed crucifix
And she burned it in the stove
And we all stood in the kitchen
Like travellers in the rain
Waiting on some distant platform
To board some lonely train
Well that was sixty years ago
My mother’s in the ground
My brother sister moved away
And left me the house and land
And I sell my socks and sweaters
To the tourists from away
There’s a monthly old age pension
And it keeps the wolf at bay
And I count the days
And when the night comes stealing
He drifts in on the mist
He sits quietly there in his rocking chair
So he won’t disturb my rest
And when I awake with morning light
He’s gone to sea once more
I go downstairs I light the stove
Mop salt water from the floor
I mop salt water from the floor