Dignity

Fat man lookin' in a blade of steel, thin man lookin' at his last meal Hollow man lookin' in a cotton field for dignity Wise man lookin' in a blade of grass, young man lookin' in the shadows that pass Poor man lookin' through painted glass for dignity Somebody got murdered on New Year's Eve Somebody said dignity was the first to leave I went into the city, went into the town Went into the land of the midnight sun Searchin' high, searchin' low, searchin' everywhere I know Askin' the cops wherever I go, "Have you seen Dignity?" Blind man breakin' out of a trance, puts both his hands in the pocket of chance Hopin' to find one circumstance of dignity I went to the wedding of Mary-Lou, she said I don't want nobody see me talkin to you Said she could get killed if she told me what she knew about dignity I went down where the vultures feed I would've gone deeper, but there wasn't any need Heard the tongues of angels and the tongues of men, Wasn't any difference to me Chilly wind sharp as a razor blade, house on fire, debts unpaid Gonna stand at the window, gonna ask the maid, "Have you seen dignity?" Drinkin' man listens to the voice he hears in a crowded room full of covered up mirrors Lookin' into the lost forgotten years for dignity Met Prince Philip at the home of the blues said he'd give me information if his name wasn't used He wanted money up front, said he was abused by dignity Footprints runnin' cross the silver sand, Steps goin' down into tattoo land I met the sons of darkness and the sons of light, In the bordertowns of despair Got no place to fade, got no coat, I'm on the rollin' river in a jerkin' boat Tryin' to read a note somebody wrote about dignity Sick man lookin' for the doctor's cure, lookin' at his hands for the lines that were And into every masterpiece of literature for dignity Englishman stranded in the blackheart wind combin' his hair back his future looks thin Bites the bullet and he looks within for dignity Someone showed me a picture and I just laughed, Dignity never been photographed I went into the red, went into the black, Into the valley of dry bone dreams So many roads, so much at stake, so many dead ends, I'm at the edge of the lake Sometimes I wonder what it's gonna take to find dignity