MAN ON
FIRE
Look over
yonder there’s a man on fire
Life to
death just a fusin’ wire
He figures
he can’t get much higher
Saw a photo once
of a man on the street
Alight with
flame from his head to his feet
Gone to his
end as a man on fire
He always knew it was a long time comin’
Lovely ladies always send him runnin’
It’s best he goes this man on fire
Burnin’ up
from this unloved feelin’
His heart’s aglow;
his mind’s a-reelin’
He’s gonna
stop the eventual explosion
And end it
all as a man on fire
Beautiful woman but he can’t reach her
His feelings smoulder; won’t someone teach her
How to love this man on fire
How to save this man in fire
See the smoke
from across the valley
Soldiers slinkin’ down a broken alley
His number’s
up, he ain’t keepin’ tally – anymore
No more
He figures
he can’t get much higher
Goin’ to his
end as a man on fire
Fire On Fire On Fire Fire
(© Michael Coghlan 1989)
