Poor Boy's Shoes

When he met her at the dance, she had flowers in her hair
There was no girl in this land who could have stood next to her there
And there, everyone could see how he loved her instantly
Though he had nothing to give her but his poor boy's hopes and dreams

Well, he danced with her that summer 'til it showed on her sweet face
As she was taken by the warmth of him and all his gentle ways
And then he swore to her his love was true
And he married her in poor boy's shoes

Well, not many years had passed through the grip of his strong hands
When a great, unyielding Hunger drew its veil across this land
His young love soon took ill, and with two little mouths to fill
It took all he could to keep them from the poorhouse on the hill

But when his pockets had run dry from crying tears that rang like bells
And their home drew in the wind just like an old seashell
Then he gathered everything he had to lose
And he walked them up in poor boy's shoes

First God took the little boy
And then He took the little girl
And soon their little souls were free
From all the sadness in this world
Their father lifted up his love
She could no longer walk alone
And from the poorhouse on the hill
He took her on the long walk home

And there he felt the cold upon her, as he laid her down to rest
And so he knelt down by her bed and drew her feet up to his chest
And there he tried to warm her cold feet through
And they found them there in poor boy's shoes