Absalom, Absalom

Come and smear me with the branches of that tree
Hyssop dipped in innocent blood to make me clean
Let an old man’s broken bones once more rejoice
Oh Absalom, you were my little boy
Absalom, Absalom
My son, my son, my son
Caught in the tangles of deceit
Hanging lifeless from that tree
Absalom, Absalom
My son, my son, my son
Caught by the tangles of your hair
The fruit of my own sins to bear
Oh, Absalom
You were the laughing boy who bounced upon my knee
You learned to play the harp and use the shepherd’s sling
Always watching, my impressionable son
Oh Absalom, what have I done
You were watching when I took a good man’s wife
And gave the orders for his murder, just to cover up the crime
All the vanity, cruel arrogance, and greed
Oh Absalom, you learned it all from me