My Great Big Brother
Walking down a gravel road1 towards a haunted house2
Scary bushes3 to the left of me and I’m feeling like a mouse
But Wayne is there to comfort me, to find what’s under cover
He’s big and strong, he’s brave and bold. He’s my great big brother.
Running through the fields of grain, not knowing where I’m going
There’s timothy, alfalfa and more there that’s growing
Its getting dark we’ll soon be in real trouble with our mother
His voice is my safe harbour light4. He’s my great big brother.
Point your finger, sayin’ Sik-em boy,
Showing me how to use your brand new toy.
Jump on your bike, I’ll race you down the lane
Always losing time and again.
Throw the ball. Wait for the call.
Anti-I-Over. Anti-I-Over.
Can you throw the ball over?
Anti-I-Over.
Marching through the forest thick5, the branches curve and twist
A blur of orange marmalade flies past us to be first6
Listening for the chopping axe, hard work day for our father
Switches, lines for fishing rods, made by my big brother.
Snuggled in our beds at night, a dog7 and Beary Weary
Conjured tales and made up plots, our whispers always carry8.
Bounce me from my perch on high9, flying like no other10.
We laughed so hard, I hit the sky11 thanks to my big brother.
Point your finger, sayin’ Sik-em boy,
Showing me how to use your brand new toy.
Jump on your bike, I’ll race you down the lane
Always losing time and again.
Throw the ball. Wait for the call.
Anti-I-Over. Anti-I-Over.
Can you throw the ball over?
Anti-I-Over.
Dragging wagons up the hill to a big green glowing ball12
Wood to make a solid floor and boards to make the walls
Ladder held with binding twine, only leading to another
Ending in a tree house built by Phillip and my big brother.
Sneaking out the window, down the tree with mason jars
Our room became the midnight sky, filled with shooting stars13
Flying past his shelves of books14, so eager to discover.
He’s so smart, so big and brave. He’s my great big brother.
Point your finger, sayin’ Sik-em boy,
Showing me how to use your brand new toy.
Jump on your bike, I’ll race you down the lane
Always losing time and again.
Throw the ball. Wait for the call.
Anti-I-Over. Anti-I-Over.
Can you throw the ball over?
Anti-I-Over.
Anti-I-Over. Anti-I-Over.
Can you throw the ball over?
Anti-I-Over.
1 Our gravel driveway down to the Trunk Road
2 Aunt Liza’s abandoned house across the Trunk Road
3 The scary chokecherry bush at the end of the gate
4 I’d follow the sound of Wayne’s voice as I couldn’t see him through the tall grain
5 Forest behind Aunt Liza’s house before the Blue Sea Creek
6 Our dog Buster, yellow-orange and white
7 Wayne’s stuffed dog, Buster and his teddy bear, Beary Weary
8 Mom always heard us playing after bedtime and we’d get into trouble
9 I was in the top bunk
10 Wayne would kick me up in the air
11 I hit the ceiling once
12 Massive maple tree in the forest south-east of the house
13 Fire flies Wayne would free in the dark bedroom
14 Wayne had a huge book collection on shelves Dad made for him.