Death Singing - Patti Smith

In the straw-colored light

In light rapidly changing

On the life rapidly fading

Have you seen death singing?

Have you seen death singing?

With throat smooth as a lamb

Yet dry as a branch not snapping

He throws back his head

And he does not sing a thing mournful

Have you seen death singing?

Have you seen death singing?

Have you seen death singing

In the straw-colored light?

He sings a black embrace

And white opals swimming

In a child’s leather purse

Have you seen death swimming?

Have you seen death swimming?

With a throat smooth as a lamb

Yet dry as a branch not snapping

He throws back his head

And he does not sing a thing mournful

Have you seen death singing?

Have you seen death singing?

Have you seen death singing

In the straw-colored light?

Have you seen death singing?

Have you seen death singing?

Have you seen death singing

In the straw-colored light?

He sings of youth enraged

And the burning of Atlanta

And these viral times

And May ribbons streaming

And the straw-colored curls a-turning

A mother’s vain delight

And woe to the sun and woe to the dawn

And woe to the young, another hearse is drawn

Have you seen death singing?

Have you seen death singing?

Have you seen death singing

In the straw-colored light?