The burden on me falls
Was your kindness just pretense?

And when I unveiled my weakness
But they blow so forlorn
There's breadcrumbs at your heels
No one comes to call
When there's rust upon your ragged crown
Who will stand at your defense?
The trumpets play the livelong day
Could you be the hand that held me down?

And ever since your epitaph
Did you hold the hand that held me down?
But I still sing your praises
When I was sick with common sense

You lay beneath them, pushing weeds
And now your statuettes are all torn down
You take your place among the saints
Was spattered on my wall
When there's no one left for you to clown
Make not a single sound
Your fingers in your ears
You stood there so vacantly
And the hills that held our childhood
Yeah, I alone stand at your defense
Soon we all fall down

The flowers grow there still
The snake oil of your love
Every time the curtain calls
The prison of your company
And you left by the morning
But every time you say farewell
Just to hurl your scorn

On your rodeo of tears
And I guess you always will
Did you kiss the hand that held me down?
There's no one left to lean against
Did you laugh at my expense?
But it's ashes, Lord, it's ashes
The heights to which you drag me
Who will stand at your defense?

With all that's left to steal

They can't stand the stench