The old lady watched television,
Rocking closer for better vision,
The Commercial brought a toothless chuckle,
As you released her safety buckle.

“Them little dolls, they sure is cute,
Wasn’t like that when I was young, shoot!
Course I never got one anyway,
We was so poor, weren’t no way.

What I always wanted was a train,
But all my prayers went in vain,
Why, we couldn’t afford a Christmas tree,
Now that was sump thin I wanted to see.

When the Spirit of Christmas was in the air,
Bright decorations made it like a fair,
And Santa downtown in them big stores,
We’d tell him our wishes after chores.

We’d go to bed early, my sister and me,
Just like always on Christmas Eve,
We’d done prayed for toys and other needs,
And for one of them beautiful Christmas Trees.

On Christmas morn, weren’t nothing there,
Just like always our house was bare,
Once Mama give us big apples to eat,
Smiled as she promised us dinner with meat.

Most our neighbors had some pretty, little tree,
Mama cried out they weren’t for free,
Wasn’t like me to just sit and pine,
So’s and idea came to me in time.

I ran way cross them railroad tracks,
Out where the rich folk knew no lacks,
I lightened the load for their rubbish man,
Toted the biggest tree a little girl can.

I dug a hole in our back yard,
Planting that tree was really hard,
But up it stood, big and tall,
Fine enough for the grandest hall.

My sister and I stood back real proud,
Then jumped and danced and yelled real loud,
Cause next year we’d be way out front,
And a neighbor’s tree would be a runt.

I rushed home early from school each day,
To care for that tree in the tenders way,
I’d dream it decorated pretty and right,
With tinsel and lights, Shiny and bright.

I watered it down with all my might,
And covered it up on a cold, cold night,
But them needles fell] despite my care,
Till it finally stood just naked and bare.

Mama made me take it down,
She weren’t bout to have more trash around,
My heart went heavy and I was sad,
Prayed for next year, said I wouldn’t be bad,”

You walk the old lady to the Dining Room,
There a bright smile erases her gloom,
“You know I just love that Christmas tree,
As a child I never had a tree.”