On a cold starry night in the winter time

Stood three old men by a mill pond in the moonlight

And they spoke of their young men in the front line

How they all wished them home for the christmas time

As they spoke from the east came a bright light

And it sparkled like pure gold in their sad eyes

And an angel came down on denshaw mill

Spreading her light all around on the darkside

Are you blind can you not see

Do you think that it's me who deceives?

He promised to be there if you believe, to carry you home



A hole as rotten as ever fouled the green earth

Was this old mill in its day, spoke the angel

Yet there's many a poor boy in foreign climes

Who would think this old mill now a palace fine



As she spoke from the mill there came laughter

Came the warm sounds of their young men like a summer breeze

And they rose in the night like fire bright

Spreading their light all around on the darkside



Are you blind can you not see

Do you think that it's me who deceives?

He promised to be there if you believe, to carry you home



No-one knows what became of the bonny lads

Posted missing, lost in action in a far land

Fools and heroes, gallant men, now side by side

With the old men who believed they came home that night

To the warmth of their homes at christmas time

To the peace of their homes at christmas time