Shawn Phillips - The Man lyrics

In the castoff world of homelessness he wanders through the day
He watches as an ambulance goes rushing on its way
He wonders who it's going to and hope they'll be alright
He spends them thoughts of prayer and love as the
Day turns into night
And when you look into his face you know his life is right
You see a man who cannot hide and blessed with inner sight
He walks through inner cities and he helps someone to stand
He makes them feel a part of us, a soul in the race of Man
Surrounded by the selfishness of a world that's full of greed
He does not think about himself, he helps those who are most in need
He gathers in the strength to care, this ain't no paradise
He sees the future in his mind and he knows that this ain't right
And I know there are more of him and women equally
Working in the world of pain so the rest of us can be
They are the angels of this world, they show us to the light
Back to the man who knows these things he will not speak or tell
You have to understand him now he will not say why he fell
And some folks think it is falling and some think it is a ploy
But he doesn't give a damn what we think he
Knows that it is joy
And thunder rocks the heavens and lightening splits the skies
And the rain pours down upon his head and sometimes
He quietly cries
But only when he is all alone and loneliness his pain
We share the battles all of us and we don' t need to be ashamed
Now we're at 2000 and some are going to flip right out
And some will learn the secrets of this man and of his route
And hopefully as time permits a few of us just might
Learn to live our lives in joy and go on through the night
And nothing's going to change and life goes on as just before
You do not need to worry but you still go tot lock your door
And by and by the time will come when we will sleep at night
And love the world before us as we're living in the light