The Mercy Seat

It began when they come took me from my home

And put me in Dead Row

Of which I am nearly wholly innocent, you know

And I'll say it again

I am not afraid to die

I began to warm and chill

To objects and their fields

A ragged cup, a twisted mop

The face of Jesus in my soup

Those sinister dinner deals

The meal trolley's wicked wheels

A hooked bone rising from my food

All things either good or un-good

And the mercy seat is waiting

And I think my head is burning

And in a way I'm yearning to be done

With all this measuring of proof

An eye for an eye

A tooth for a tooth

And anyway I told the truth

And I'm not afraid to die

Interpret signs and catalogue

A blackened tooth, a scarlet fog

The walls are bad, black, bottom kind

They are the sick breath at my hind

They are the sick breath at my hind

They are the sick breath at my hind

They are sick breath gathering at my hind

I hear stories from the chamber

How Christ was born into a manger

And like some ragged stranger

Died upon the cross

And might I say it seems so fitting in its way

He was a carpenter by trade

Or at least that's what I'm told

Like my good hand

Tattooed E-V-I-L all across his brother's fist

That filthy five

They did nothing to challenge or resist

In Heaven His throne is made of gold

The ark of his Testament is stowed

A throne from which I'm told

All history does unfold

Down here it's made of wood and wire

And my body is on fire

And God is never far away

Into the mercy seat I climb

My head is shaved, my head is wired

And like a moth that tries

To enter the bright eye

I go shuffling out of life

Just to hide in death awhile

And anyway I never lied

My kill-hand is called evil

Wears a wedding band that's good

'Tis a long-suffering shackle

Collaring all that rebel blood

And the mercy seat is burning

And I think my head is glowing

And in a way I'm hoping to be done

With all this weighing up of truth

An eye for an eye

And a tooth for a tooth

And I've got nothing left to lose

And I'm not afraid to die

And the mercy seat is growing

And I think my head is melting

And in a way I'm helping to be done

With all this twisting of the truth

An eye for an eye

And a tooth for a tooth

And anyway, I saw no proof

And not a motive why

And the mercy seat is melting

And I think my blood is boiling

And in a way I'm spoiling all the fun

By all this consequence of truth

An eye for an eye

And a tooth for a tooth

And I've got nothing left to lose

And I'm not afraid to die

And the mercy seat is waiting

And I think my head is burning

And in a way I'm yearning to be done

With all this measuring of proof

An eye for an eye

And a tooth for a tooth

And anyway there was no proof

And not a motive why

And the mercy seat is waiting

And I think my head is burning

And in a way I'm yearning to be done

With all this measuring of proof

An eye for an eye

And a tooth for a tooth

And anyway I told the truth

And I'm not afraid to die

And the mercy seat is waiting

And I think my head is burning

And in a way I'm yearning to be done

With all this measuring of proof

A life for a life

And a truth for a truth

And anyway there was no proof

And I'm not afraid to die

And the mercy seat is waiting

And I think my head is smoking

And in a way I'm hoping to be done

With all these looks of disbelief

An eye for an eye

And a tooth for a tooth

But anyway I told the truth

And I'm not afraid to die

And the mercy seat is-a waiting

And I think my head is burning

And in a way I'm yearning to be done

With all this measuring of proof

Of an eye for an eye

And a tooth for a tooth

And anyway I told the truth

And I'm not afraid to die

And the mercy seat is-a waiting

And I think my head is burning

And in a way I'm yearning to be done

With all this measuring of proof

Of an eye for an eye

And a tooth for a tooth

And anyway I told the truth

And I'm not afraid to die

And the mercy seat is-a waiting

And I think my head is burning

And in a way I'm yearning to be done

With all this measuring of proof

Of an eye for an eye

And a tooth for a tooth

And anyway I told the truth

And I'm not afraid to die

And the mercy seat is-a waiting

And I think my head is burning

And in a way I'm yearning to be done

With all this measuring of proof

Of an eye for an eye

And a tooth for a tooth

And anyway I told the truth

And I'm not afraid to die

And the mercy seat is waiting

And I think my head is burning

And in a way I'm yearning to be done

With all this measuring of proof

Of an eye for an eye

And a tooth for a tooth

And anyway I told the truth

But I'm not afraid to lie

And the mercy seat is-a waiting

And I think my head is burning

And in a way I'm yearning to be done

With all this measuring of proof

Of an eye for an eye

And a tooth for a tooth

And anyway I told the truth

But I'm not afraid to lie

And the mercy seat is-a waiting

And I think my head is burning

And in a way I'm yearning to be done

With all this measuring of proof

Of an eye for an eye

And a tooth for a tooth

And anyway I told the truth

But I'm afraid I told a lie