Singer who sings is a bird
seed filled breast
singing in the tavern
or with a voice very ill
never sing on its knees
You can see it its
yellow wings flapping
with shut eyes
and tired heart
never more on its knees
never more on its knees
The bird cannot
standing on its bracket
or in the highest branch
or in the humble quack grass
come down on its knees
I speak of the bird
and its cute song
that may be born truth
that may be born dead
but not on its knees
but not on its knees
There is no true chant
or so simple a song
that to truly deliver
the bird would sing
and would bring the bird
to its knees
And it is not the chant
I defend
but the tiny paper bird
that sings a trill
and morrow a blunder
never more on its knees
never more on its knees
And that sings to the tyrant
who is bird not and is naught
but a reptile in the swamp
only to the master it clucks
on his very bent knee
Singer who sings is a bird
seed filled breast
singing in the tavern
or with a voice very ill
never sing on its knees