A Hanging Matter

When the stranger came to town
He didn’t mean to cause disconcertment
He never really had a chance since
Nonconformity
Was their reason to break down
His well pleased independence
Cause it didn’t quite comply
With their own life-understanding
Look, he’s sent to the gallows
He stands up straight and sings:
Yeah —
Bless yourself
You’ll never take
Nor will you make
My spirit break
(And) all the people looking blank
Not a single soul objecting
As the freethinker’s head sank while
Re-established truth
Did stabilize their peace
Suppressing the distracting
But evil begets evil —
So they can’t suppress his tune
He stands up straight and sings —
Yeah —
Bless yourself
You’ll never take
Nor will you make
My spirit break
People that we are —
They are the people that we are —
The fuckin' people that we are…
And so he sings:
Can’t you —
Can’t you see that my heart’s so pure?
Yeah —
Bless yourself
You’ll never take
Nor will you make
My spirit break