The Beat

today you look like a stranger to me
with your rags hanging down from your neck
I remember a boy with cold in his hands
but my son, I don’t think that you hear me
so I said to my father there and then
I am much older than you are
in fact, I was born in '41
and my cradle was placed in the sun
but he came from another town
where people are born with their heads hanging down
and the only sound is the beat of a drum
telling the people to row
I remember a story from your town
about a wife giving birth to a son
the boy was as healthy as a baby could be
after nine months of joy in the womb
but the wedding had been only six months ago
and sex before marriage is a sin
so they placed him back in the hospital
and said he was born too soon
but he came from another town
where people are born with their heads hanging down
and the only sound is the beat of a drum
telling the people to row
there are so many things that I have learned
how to get out of jail without moving
how to take out a guard, how to put him to sleep
how to lay the man down in his place
how to get around town without having to steal
how to follow the footsteps of nomads
how to tame a wild horse, how to ride on its back
how to wipe out my trail without losing my track
he came from another town
where people are born with their heads hanging down
and the only sound is the beat of a drum
telling the people to row