CHILD OF CLAY
JIMMIE RODGERS

INTO THE DARKNESS HE WAS SENT
BY PARENTS WHO WERE IGNORANT
TIED DOWN TO HIS MOTHER'S STRINGS
UNABLE TO BE ANYTHING
PUZZLED BY THE THINGS HE HEARS
HIS QUESTIONS FALL ON THEIR DEAF EARS
THE FATHER THINKING WORK COMES FIRST
AIN'T GOT THE TIME TO QUENCH A THIRST

ONCE HE WAS A CHILD, A BEAUTIFUL CHILD
A CHILD OF CLAY SHAPED AND MOLDED
INTO WHAT HE IS TODAY
BUT WHO IS TO BLAME FOR THIS CHILD OF CLAY

GOING OUT INTO THE STREET
AT NIGHT THE ANSWERS HE MAY MEET
WITH SICK AND TWISTED MINDS HE SHARES
THE SEARCHING QUESTIONS HIS HEART BEARS
AND FROM THE DREGS THE ANSWERS FIND
THEIR WAY INTO HIS SUPPLE MIND
IN TIME THE PLANTED SEEDS WILL GROW
INTO A TWISTED VINE BELOW

ONCE HE WAS A CHILD, A BEAUTIFUL CHILD
A CHILD OF CLAY SHAPED AND MOLDED
INTO WHAT HE IS TODAY
BUT WHO IS TO BLAME FOR THIS CHILD OF CLAY

AND NOW HIS AIMLESS DAYS BEGIN
TO DRIFT INTO SORDID SIN
AND SOON HIS DISLIKE TURNS TO HATE
AS THE STAMP OF LIFE SEALS HIS FATE
AND SO THE NIGHT CONCEALS HIS NAME
AND THE DAY SLEEP OFF HIS SHAME
DEPRIVED OF LOVE AND WROUGHT BY FEAR
A FEELING THAT THE END IS NEAR

ONCE HE WAS A CHILD, A BEAUTIFUL CHILD
A CHILD OF CLAY SHAPED AND MOLDED
INTO WHAT HE IS TODAY
BUT WHO IS TO BLAME FOR THIS CHILD OF CLAY