A clock ticks in the dead of night
its lit up by a pale moonlight
the little finger moves around
as all but one, is sleeping sound.
This sleepless soul lays in his bed
his hands are tucked behind his head
he’s deep in thought, he feels alone
for he is many miles from home.
He shuts his eyes , a smile appears
he starts to drift back through the years
to when he was a boy at school
in the bustling port of Liverpool.
He pictures an old school photograph
with all the children from his class
he makes a sigh, and wonders how
those old school friends are doing now.
He then thinks of his teenaged friends
he misses every one of them
and wishes that he had the power
to see them just for one more hour.
A golden memory then drifts by
of a cloudy , rainfilled, anfield sky
clicking turnstiles, hot dog stands
cups of oxo in freezing hands.
And then he’s there inside the kop
he doesnt want these thoughts to stop
for this time he thinks that its for real
he can smell, and touch, and hear, and feel.
what he can smell is atmosphere
he touches the shoulder of a friend who’s near
he hears the kopites singing aloud
and feels the togetherness of the crowd.
They were such special times back then
he’d love to watch his team again
but thats not possible any more
for now he lives on foreign shores.
A new life beckoned from far away
he still recalls that fateful day
the hugs, the tears, the deep forlorn
as he left the town where he was born.
He then drifts off into his sleep
where a harvest of dreams are there to reap
an angel takes him by the hand
to Englands green and pleasant land.
They fly above the Liverpool bay
a liverbird greets them on the way
it was just before the break of dawn
when a mersey ferry sounds its horn.
They’re now above his childhood home
he sees the streets he used to roam
he then sees children kicking a ball
at a painted goal on an old brick wall.
He saw himself in his old school yard
he then saw someone and waved so hard
for there beside the old school gates
in the pouring rain his mother waits.
“Your in good hands son please dont cry ”
she whispered slowly as they flew by
” just let the angel lead the way ”
” there’s untold riches for you today “.
He then looks down at scotland road
and sees his grandmothers abode
the people wave up to the sky
they seem to know who’s passing by.
Who was this angel by his side
this chaperone, this heavenly guide
who’d taken him and been as kind
to show him the world he’d left behind.
Just then he hears a distant roar
he’s heard it many times before
he looks above the chimney tops
to see his beloved spion kop.
With sheer elation on his face
he floats down to this sacred place
he stands behind the kop end goal
then turns to thank this heavenly soul.
The angel who had never spoke
then pulled the hood down on its cloak
it was then the whole of time stood still
for the angel was the ‘great man’ Bill.
With tears of joy upon his face
he then gave Shanks a warm embrace
” this way son ” the great man said
” I’ll show you lots more lonely reds “.
And then from all around the ground
came streams of angels floating down
they’d come from all around the world
wit homesick adults , boys and girls.
Then just outside the shankly gates
he mingles with the all time greats
they shake his hand, they know his name
they’re the guardians of the eternal flame.
This wonderful journey now nears its end
he’s seen his city, his family and friends
the emptiness he felt inside
has now been filled with warmth and pride.
With his homesick heart now on the mend
they once again start to ascend
over stanley park then into the sky
when suddenly something catches his eye.
For up ahead near a shining light
is a queue of angels in blue and white
the great man waves and seems to know
a royal blue angel down below.
They flew in close and then he seen
it was the immortal Dixie Dean
the shining light at the end of the queue’s
was Dixie comforting homesick blues.
In the seconds before his dream was over
the great man leaned across his shoulder
then just before he disappeared
he whispered something in his ear.
He then awoke back in his bed
his wonderful dream still in his head
he felt quite sad , he’d woke to find
that he’d only been home in his mind.
Then once again a smile appeared
to what Shanks whispered in his ear
which was “when you are far from home”
“just remember you’ll never walk alone”
