MY IRISH ROSE

      In the corner of the pub I stand and raise my glass
      and ask the folks to drink a toast to my Irish Lass
      the one I left behind - the one with the Irish smile
      the one I left behind - the one with the Irish eyes
      so raise your glass and drink a toast to my Irish lass
      cause hopes and dreams of love and life they all go by so fast

      she said oh Jimmy please don't go - you know I love you so
      I kissed her lips and held her tight she was my Irish rose
      then packed my bags with hopes and dreams and off to old New York
      and left her waving on the pier my rose of County Cork
      I said someday I would return and marry you my lass
      but days and weeks turned into months as years went by so fast

      In the corner of the pub I stand and raise my glass
      and ask the folks to drink a toast to my Irish Lass
      the one I left behind - the one with the Irish smile
      the one I left behind - the one with the Irish eyes
      so raise your glass and drink a toast to my Irish lass
      cause hope and dreams of love and life they all go by so fast

      I thought someday I would return with pockets full of gold
      but time has not been good to me I'm a penny short of poor
      it took me years to find my way back to County Cork
      to try and find my Irish lass but she had died the year before
      and on her stone the words they read - forever Jimmy boy
      I placed a flower on her grave - god bless my Irish Rose

                          By Vincent J Kelly (c)2000
                             from the song My Irish Rose
                                   vincentjkelly@yahoo.com