in a busy street a man sits down
oblivious to the traffic sounds
no chaos
no frenzied shrieking crowd
thank god their silence
walking heads bent down
come when they saw us
called it lethargy
the treadmill turns
there down below their feet
should i pray for an end to come
quickly
quickly
or cross the waves of an angry sea
risking and braving
the shipwreck and the mutiny assailing
assailing
in a haunted doorway and from the light of day
see another life fall to ruin in pain
false smiles from even children it seems
landlocked ground for empty and lost dreams
a league against me
i hear him say
it's not worth half the effort
or the price you pay
should i pray for an end to come
quickly
quickly
or should i raise my face to the heavens above
and tell god stop jeering
as our human frailties and all our failings
are we failing
pound and pound on an endless street
again and again the nightmare scene
all stained against the tightened rope
not one with a lasting lingering hope
there's evidence
everywhere you see
put a quarter down at the newsstand
so that you can read
should i pray for an end to come
quickly
quickly
or should i raise my face to the clouds above
entreating their mercy
but as clouds will do they'll rain down
first gently and sweetly
until they silence me with a burst of thunder
and lightning
and helpless landlocked screaming
i know god must be agreeing
it's the worst part of watching
it's the worst part of watching
it's the worst part of watching
it's the worst part
landlocked in screaming
god must be agreeing
to be helpless is the worst
must be the worst part of watching
the worst part of watching