Janis Ian - The Holly Tree lyrics

Heard my father's voice call from the drive
On a cold December night
And we all ran outside
There stood the homeliest tree
That you’d ever wanna see
Looking barely alive
He said "You grab the shovel
And you hold the light
'Cause I’ve brought an orphan
Home with me tonight"

My father's tree was five feet tall
And every leaf would struggle
Through the fall
And in the spring be born anew
The holly tree my father grew

I used to ask why mother didn’t stay
Hе'd take another drink and say
"This drove hеr away
I never could admit I drank too much
It was an old, familiar crutch
That I let go too late"
And he'd point to the tree
Saying "Take it from me
Learn to stand on your own or you'll break"

My father's tree was ten feet tall
And every leaf would struggle
Through the fall
And in the spring be born anew
The holly tree my father grew

And the green leaves, and the berries
Shined like rubies in the snow
And the memories last in
Those old photographs
Just see how much we’ve grown

My father's tree can reach the sky
And every leaf does honor to his life
Forever proud, forever true
The holly tree my father grew