Last of the Hand-Me-Downs

in the light that you borrowed

for a look down the dark road

you were young and you shown it

just a taste and you blown it

and the current is fixed

and will carry you

to the point where you left it

and right on through

i had a chain and a bicycle

and i rode all the way into town

with only an ancient photograph

i kept just to carry around

and everybody there was naked

and why would you listen to me

with the hand you were led in

in the dress that you bled in

touched my face and called me handsome

and then asked me to drink some

of that unholy concoction

that will burn you through

and you know that it's poison

but it's honey too

i was a basket of bones

when i dragged all the way in to town

with only my boxful of coins

to scatter all over the ground

and everybody there was laughing

and why would you listen to me

i had a handful of stones

i hauled all the way into town

to carry when i was alone

culled from the last of the hand-me-downs

but everybody there was lovely

but why would you listen to me