Christmas Eve, Silent Night
words and music by Bill Pere
 
Maria packs her bag, wipes her tears on her sleeve
Turns her back, leaves the house, it's Christmas Eve
Her father has passed out, her mother's passed away
Christmas Eve, just a day

For this child, this small candle flame
Crying “Love me”
Finding only pain
Christmas Eve, silent night

Joey owns the street, the street owns his soul
Dealing drugs these last two years, since he was twelve years old
This icy Christmas Eve wind stings him like a knife
Cold and hard, like the life

Of this child, this small candle flame
Crying “Love me”
Finding only pain
Christmas Eve, silent night

Maria stands and waits by the old churchyard gate
Dark and empty, Joey meets her, asks her “Why so late?”
She looks into his face, those eyes that never smiled
Tells him “The time has come. This night I'm going to have our child”

Joey's face turns pale as the moon, He starts to run
“I could never love a daughter, never love a son
I could never give what I have never known
All my life, all alone,

Just a child, a small candle flame
Crying ‘Love me'
Finding only pain”
Christmas Eve, silent night

He runs into the church, the air is still, not a sound
The stained glass faces stare at him from all around
The sanctuary's silence seems to touch his mind
Something soft, something strong, something kind...

Maria takes his hand, she lies back on the pew
Her breath is coming fast, she knows what to do
These ghetto children can't afford a doctor's care
But they know someone's there

For their child, this new candle flame
Crying ‘Love me'
And the stars proclaim
Christmas Eve....

Once a child had been born; A gift from above
To teach us to care, to teach us to love

Maria packs her bag, wipes her tear on her sleeve
Looks at Joey hold their child, it's Christmas Eve
Two children come to know that love is not a lie
Lift their heads to the sky,

Thank the Child,  that bright candle flame
Who says “I love you
When you know my name”
Christmas Eve, holy night
 
© Bill Pere. All Rights Reserved

 

 

 


"If a man tried to take his time on earth and prove before he died what one man's life could be worth,  I wonder what would happen to this world?"  --- Harry Chapin