(:redirect quiet=1:) %abc-2.1 X:1 T:Old Mans Tale Z:Webmaster C:Ian Campbell K: W:1 W:At the turning of the century I was a boy of five W:My father went to fight the Boers and never came back alive W:My mother left to bring us up no charity would she seek W:So she washed and scrubbed and brought us up on seven and six a week W: W:2 W:When I was twelve I left the school and went to find a job W:With growin' kids my ma was glad of the extra couple of bob W:I know that better schooling would have stood me in good stead W:But you can't afford refinements when you're struggling for your bread W: W:3 W:And when the Great War came along I didn't hesitate W:I took the royal shilling and went off to do my bit W:I fought in mud and tears and blood three years or thereabout W:Then I copped some gas in Flanders and was invalided out W: W:4 W:And when the war was over and we'd finished with the guns W:I got back into civvies and I thought the fighting done W:I'd won the right to live in peace but I didn't have no luck W:For soon I found I had to fight for the right to go to work W: W:5 W:In 'twenty-six the General Strike found me out on the street W:For I'd a wife and kids by then and their needs I couldn't meet W:But a brave new world was coming and the brotherhood of man W:But when the strike was over we were back where we began W: W:6 W:I struggled through the 'Thirties out of work now and again W:I saw the Black Shirts marching and the things the did in Spain W:But I raised my children decent and I taught them wrong from right W:Then Hitler was the lad that came and showed them how to fight W: W:7 W:My daughter was a land girl, she got married tae a Yank W:They gave my son a gong for stopping one of Rommel's tanks W:He was wounded just before the end and convalesced in Rome W:Married an 'Eyetye' nurse and never bothered to come home W: W:8 W:My daughter writes me once a month a cheerful little note W:About their colour telly and the other things they've got W:She has a son, a likely lad, he's nearly twenty-one W:Now she says they've called him up to fight in Vietnam W: W:9 W:We're living on the Pension now and it doesn't go too far W:Not much to show for a life that seems like one long bloody war W:When you think of all the wasted lives it makes you want to cry W:I don't know how to change things but by Christ we'll have to try % % % % % % % % % %]