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'