Rose Maloney sits in her chair
The room is dim
The floor is bare
And life for her is very grim.

Rose takes in sewing
It helps to pay the bills
Though it pays almost nothing
For her meagre skills.

Her children are playing in the yard
Not knowing their fate
Times for Rose are very hard
And the rent man won't wait.

Rose lost her husband, he drowned at sea
And she wishes he'd walk through the door
Tommy the youngest he's only three
There's Lizzie at six, and Billy at four.

A bowl of soup, a crust of bread
Their little faces washed clean
Then up the stairs off to bed
None of them too keen.

The rent man's waiting for his money
As Rose sells her husbands clothes
She knows life won't be milk and honey
So Rose Maloney sits and sews and sews..

© Hazel