Little Tom

Little Tom, what will be your fate'

Little Tom, will you be someone great'

Do you know right from wrong, are they teaching you at home'

Or have they turned you loose to roam Little Tom'

I walked into a cafe and ordered myself something to eat

When a little boy walked in with his shoes half off his feet

He said, 'Buy a paper, Mister,' I said, "How older are you son"

"Seven, sir and when my papers are sold, I'll be on my way home"

"What's your name"

"Thomas but everybody calls me Little Tom

They named me after my daddy but they say, I look like my mom"

"Why it's almost midnight son, you should be home asleep"

"I know it but I wanted to get me a bicycle

And I gotta help mommy buy somethin' to eat

My daddy's pretty mean to us"

And he spends most of his money for wine

And he don't hold a job like most other men

"Cause well, he gets fired all the time"

I said, "Have somethin' to eat

Aren't you hungry"

He said, "I guess a little bit

I believe I have a hamburger and a glass of milk to go with it"

I said, "Is that enough"

He said, "Make it two 'cause I ain't eat since noon"

Where do you live son'

'On Main Street sir

There's six of us livin' in one room'

There's me and my three brothers and my mommy and my dad

But someday, I'm gonna buy mommy a big house

If I have to turn out bad'

My appetite left me

As I sat there watchin' him

And I thought, he's just one of thousands

That's brought up in a home of sin

Where their parents abused their children

And forget to maker the all mankind

And then wondered why there's juvenile delinquency

When they are at fault most of the time

I bit my lip and fought back tears

As I watched the little guy leave the cafe

And I wondered, how many more children

Would be brought up that way

Little Tom, what will be your fate'

Little Tom, will you be someone great'