Mattie Grumpy

Some say old Mattie takes life far too serious And that on his tongue there is a constant boil And others who have known him for six decades Will tell you they have never seen him smile. They say he has not changed much since his schooldays That even then he was a sour faced boy Whilst all the others had fun and played football He took no part in games they did enjoy. He never played hide and seek in the school yard And he always seemed forlorn and out of place And they had a nickname for him 'Mattie Grumpy' For a smile was never once seen on his face. It's been said that Matt had an unhappy childhood That his father Dave was a domineering man That he often beat him and his sister Lily And punched and kicked his wife their mother Louisa Ann. Their mother left them when they were teenagers She went to live with fellow far more kind And she left Matt and Lil with their abusive father And laughter was the last thing on their minds. He's sixty five and he has never married And he may end his days without a wife And it's been said the sense of humour men are born with Was taken from him early in his life. He never laugh or smile old Mattie Grumpy And what his mood is who could even tell? But those who know him since he was a schoolboy Say he has lived it hard and been in hell.