| As I sat sadly by her side
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| At the window, through the glass
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| She stroked a kitten in her lap
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| And we watched the world as it fell past
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| Softly she spoke these words to me And with brand new eyes, open wide
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| We pressed our faces to the glass
|
| As I sat sadly by her side
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| She said, «Father, mother, sister, brother,
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| Uncle, aunt, nephew, niece,
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| Soldier, sailor, physician, labourer,
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| Actor, scientist, mechanic, priest
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| Earth and moon and sun and stars
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| Planets and comets with tails blazing
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| All are there forever falling
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| Falling lovely and amazing»
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| Then she smiled and turned to me And waited for me to reply
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| Her hair was falling down her shoulders
|
| As I sat sadly by her side
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| As I sat sadly by her side
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| The kitten she did gently pass
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| Over to me and again we pressed
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| Our different faces to the glass
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| «That may be very well», I said
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| «But watch the one falling in the street
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| See him gesture to his neighbours
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| See him trampled beneath their feet
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| All outward motion connects to nothing
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| For each is concerned with their immediate need
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| Witness the man reaching up from the gutter
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| See the other one stumbling on who can not see»
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| With trembling hand I turned toward her
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| And pushed the hair out of her eyes
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| The kitten jumped back to her lap
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| As I sat sadly by her side
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| Then she drew the curtains down
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| And said, «When will you ever learn
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| That what happens there beyond the glass
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| Is simply none of your concern?
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| God has given you but one heart
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| You are not a home for the hearts of your brothers
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| And God does not care for your benevolence
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| Anymore than he cares for the lack of it in others
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| Nor does he care for you to sit
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| At windows in judgement of the world He created
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| While sorrows pile up around you
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| Ugly, useless and over-inflated"
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| At which she turned her head away
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| Great tears leaping from her eyes
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| I could not wipe the smile from my face
|
| As I sat sadly by her side |