See the father's barn burning

Watch as the flames

Illuminate the sky

See the boy who set the fire

Watch the barn burning

In his eyes in his eyes

Hear the cattle calling out

Into the night

They crowd against the fence

Until it breaks

And as it breaks

The arson shakes

Know that it's life

And nothing more



See the boy obey the father

Stuffing the crying

Kittens in a sack

Hear the father curse the boy

And whip him with a switch

Across the back across the back

See them standing on

The bridge at twilight

They tie it to a rock

And let it go

And through the tears

It disappears

And now he knows

It's life and nothing more



And through the tears

It disappears

The path is cut the way is clear

It's up the stairs

And through the door

He finds the matches in a drawer

Into the barn he lights the hay

It catches quick

Can't find his way

Through the burning ash

And blinding smoke

He stumbles and begins to choke

A just reward a settled score

And now he knows

It's life and nothing more