WHEN WE WERE YOUNG
WE PLEDGED
ALLEGIANCE
EVERY MORNING
OF OUR LIVES
THE CLASSROOM RANG
WITH CHILDREN'S VOICES
UNDER TEACHER'S
WATCHFUL EYE
WE LEARNED ABOUT
THE WORLD AROUND US
AT OUR DESKS
AND AT DINNERTIME
REMINDED OF
THE STARVIN' CHILDREN
WE CLEANED OUR PLATES
WITH GUILTY MINDS
AND THE STONES
IN THE ROAD
THEY SHONE LIKE
DIAMONDS IN THE DUST
AND THEN A VOICE
CALLED TO US
TO MAKE OUR WAY
BACK HOME
WHEN I WAS TEN
MY FATHER HELD ME
ON HIS SHOULDERS
ABOVE THE CROWD
TO SEE A TRAIN
DRAPED IN MOURNING
PASS SLOWLY
THROUGH OUR TOWN
HIS WIDOW KNEELED
WITH ALL
THEIR CHILDREN
AT THE SACRED
BURIAL GROUND
AND THE TV GLOWED
THAT LONG HOT SUMMER
WITH ALL THE CITIES
BURNING DOWN
AND THE STONES
IN THE ROAD
THEY FLEW OUT BENEATH
OUR BICYCLE TIRES
WORLDS REMOVED
FROM ALL THOSE FIRES
AS WE RACED
EACH OTHER HOME
AND NOW WE DRINK
OUR COFFEE
ON THE RUN
WE CLIMB THAT LADDER
RUNG BY RUNG
WE ARE THE DAUGHTERS
AND THE SONS
AND HERE'S THE LINE
THAT'S MISSING
THE STARVIN' CHILDREN
HAVE BEEN REPLACED
BY SOULS
OUT ON THE STREET
WE GIVE A DOLLAR
WHEN WE PASS
AND HOPE OUR EYES
DON'T MEET
WE PENCIL IN
WE CANCEL OUT
WE CRAVE
THE CORNER SUITE
WE KISS YOUR ASS
WE MAKE YOU HOLD
WE DOCTOR
THE RECEIPT
AND THE STONES
IN THE ROAD
THEY FLY OUT FROM
BENEATH OUR WHEELS
ANOTHER DAY
ANOTHER DEAL
BEFORE WE GET
BACK HOME
STONES IN THE ROAD
LEAVE A MARK
WHENCE THEY CAME
A THOUSAND POINTS
OF LIGHT OR SHAME
BABY I DON'T KNOW
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