This song was born out of what happened one night at the Home for the Aged in Big Daman. A sick old lady had been left in the home because the wife of her only son did not want her in their house. The visits of her son decreased over the months while the permanent pain in her arm increased till it was so unbearable that night that she walked to the beach in the dead of night and laid down in the water to sleep and never wake up. But the tide was receding and local fishermen (not the Great Fisherman!) found her fast asleep in the wee hours of the morning!
DESTITUTE WOMAN
V1 She sits there all alone
By the window of the institution
She’s dressed up for the evening
Looks like she’s waiting for someone dear
(Yes, she’s waiting for someone)
She looks out expectantly
Into the fading daylight outside
But no, there is no one calling on her
V2 She gets up all by herself
And then she limps back into the dorm
She rests her head on the pillow
And through the tears
Thinks of her son (He has forsaken her)
Her lips move as she whispers
“Lord, watch & keep him when I am gone
Ah! Till we meet someday up there in paradise”
CH1 No one to talk to, when she’s feeling so blue
No one to cry on, when the pain comes on
No one to lean on, when she cannot go on
She’s a destitute woman (x 4)
Just a destitute woman
V3 So she lays awake all the night thru
Still she’s all dressed up
Waiting for someone
She looks up expectantly
Up at the ceiling, ready for Him
(Always ready for Him)
Tonight she’s very sure
That the Lord will knock on her door
Ah! Yes, tonight He’ll be callin’ on her
CH2 And then there’ll be, no more feeling the blues
No limp, no shame, no more tears of pain
No ‘old’, no ‘young’, no more sorrow beyond
She’ll be destitute no more
(Repeat Ch2 & fade out)
Noel Gama
11.07.1992
