John & Josie

John and Josie’s only child, young and handsome, fast and wild
Joined the army at eighteen, left the army at eighteen
Drifted then from job to job, town to town and love to love
Seven years forever til young Johnny came marching home
But Johnny wasn’t looking well, went into the hospital
Days turned into several weeks, Johnny kept on losing weight
Josie said to John «Sit down», John cried «Oh God, not my son»
Johnny left at twenty five, a hole as big as Jupiter
Nothing stronger than the love John and Josie had for Johnny
Threw him his last birthday party, no one from the family came
No one from the family came, turned John and Josie’s grief to shame
Shame to anger, anger pain, nothing they needed more of
Two years gone, the telephone is ringing in the dim-lit den
Beneath the wooden crucifix that John had punched the day he learned
That Johnny wouldn’t live much longer, now a voice said to his father
«John, we have a baby here and no one seems to want him
The baby doesn’t have his parents, two months old and with their virus."
Josie grabbed the phone from John, the two of them said «Yes, yes, yes»
So John and Josie, over sixty, taking in a brand new baby
Named him Paul Antonio, Johnny would have loved him
Nothing stronger than the love that John & Josie had for Johnny
The same love that they have for Paul, they’re starting up the wheel again
And of the fear the same could happen, losing Paul before his time comes
John and Josie look right past it, they’re basking in love’s mighty presence
John and Josie don’t have time
They’re basking in love’s mighty presence