Why burn poor and lonely? Under a bowl or under a lampshade Or on the shelf beside the bed Where at night you lay turning like a door on it's hinges (First on your left side, then on your right side, then your left side again) Why burn poor and lonely? Tell all the stones, we're gonna make a building We'll cut into shape and set into place Or if you'd rather be a window, I'll gladly be the frame Reflecting any kind of words We'll let in all the blame (And ruin our reputation all the same) So never mind our plan making We'll start living Anyway, aren't you unbearably sad? Then why burn so poor and lonely? We'll be like torches - We'll be torches together! With whatever respect our tattered dignity demands Torches together, hand in hand Why pluck one string? What good is just one note? Oh, one string sounds fine I guess.... We we're once 'One Notes' We were lonely wheat quietly ground into grain (What light and momentary pain!) So why this safe distance, this curious look? Why tear out single pages when you can throw away the book? Why pluck one string when you can strum the guitar? Strum the guitar! With no beginning, with no end Take down a guitar and strum the guitar if you're afraid, And I'm afraid and everyone's afraid And everyone knows it but we don't have to be afraid anymore You played the flute but no one was dancing You sang a sad song and none of us cried