Beneath the Balcony

Let's go out and dance, darling

our last of days

and grace the game with a blindfold on

the cheaters come to play

and outside the soft-handed boys,

screaming cars and all their speed

music, math, a hero begging change

his sword across his knees.



And how he prays to find a man to blame

for every sleepless night he spends

and for every well that he warned me of

but wound up falling in

and then for the kids beneath the balcony

who disregard the rain

to make sure the king won't grant the dead man one more day



Let's go out and see darling

what shines tonight

and temper your dream about the

dying horse

with traffic, noise, and light

and somewhere the soft-handed boys,

bleeding hearts, and worker bees

give to the holy mother begging change

Christ across her knees



And how she prays to find a man to blame

for every loveless night she waits

and for every gun that she frowned upon but still some fucker made

and then for the kid beneath the balcony

behind the garbage can

who hopes for the king to come

and hold his sweaty hand