Have mercy on me, sir

Allow me to impose on you

I have no place to stay

And my bones are cold right through

I will tell you a story

Of a man and his family

And I swear that it is true



Ten years ago I met a girl named Joy

She was a sweet and happy thing

Her eyes were bright blue jewels

And we were married in the spring

I had no idea what happiness and little love could bring

Or what life had in store

But all things move toward their end

All things move toward their their end

On that you can be sure



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La la la la la la la la la la



Then one morning I awoke to find her weeping

And for many days to follow

She grew so sad and lonely

Became Joy in name only

Within her breast there launched an unnamed sorrow

And a dark and grim force set sail

(Farewell happy fields)

(Where joy forever dwells)

(Hail horrors hail)



Was it an act of contrition or some awful premonition

As if she saw into the heart of her final blood-soaked night

Those lunatic eyes, that hungry kitchen knife

Ah, I see sir, that I have your attention!

Well, could it be?

How often I've asked that question

Well, then in quick succession

We had babies, one, two, three



We called them Hilda, Hattie and Holly

They were their mother's children

Their eyes were bright blue jewels

And they were quiet as a mouse

There was no laughter in the house

No, not from Hilda, Hattie or Holly

"No wonder", people said, "poor mother Joy's so melancholy"

Well, one night there came a visitor to our little home

I was visiting a sick friend

I was a doctor then

Joy and the girls were on their own



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