A young kid
stepped in from the cold
and he ordered
up a drink
He said
don't look surprised
old man I'm
older than you think
If I was the talkin' kind
I could tell you
a thing or two
But since you didn't ask
let me show you
my tattoos
He said I got
this rose in Memphis
in some back
old alley dump
Picked this
eagle up in Dallas
man I sure was
good and drunk
And you know
the way I see it
if it gets
any worse out there
A guy like me
hasn't got a prayer
The old man
poured some coffee
he said
this one's on me
Sat down his cigarette
and rolled up his sleeve
Said take a good look
here my friend
you see what these are
Just my ragged old
and jagged
ordinary scars
He said
I got this one in Paris
in a war
'fore you were born
And this one
when I was
half your age
workin' on
my daddy's farm
And you know
the way I see it
son you ain't seen
what I've seen
'Cause tattoos
and scars
are different things
He said I've been here
for all these years
and what
I know is this
If you look
and listen close
a man will show you
what he is
You know
the way I see it
you've been 'round
but you're still green
'Cause tattoos and
scars
are different things
A young kid
stepped in from the cold
and he ordered
up a drink
He said
don't look surprised
old man I'm
older than you think