I was born in the shadow
Of the factory I'd be working
For me and my brother
There was nowhere else to go
I married a local boy
In nineteen forty seven
His hands were rough but his eyes were kind
And I knew our love would grow

From my eyes to the river
From the river to the sea
From the sea to the darkening clouds
From the sky back down to me
Follow my tears

We sailed for New Zealand
I was carrying our second daughter
And there on the dockside
I never knew they were last goodbyes
The first time I saw Wellington
My heart would not stop racing
We had come halfway round the world
To start our new lives

Now John was an engineer
He worked until the day he died
He left me wanting nothing
For thirty years this was our home
I am by myself now
The children call me now and then
His hands were rough but his eyes were kind
And I knew our love would grow
From my eyes to the river
From the river to the sea
From the sea to the darkening clouds
From the sky back down to me
Follow my tears
Follow my tears