I'd like to see your badge Who are you to be so brave? With one arm free to catch yourself And you're using it to wave; Who are you to be so strong That you can leave it all behind? Laughing in your sleep And trusting in the kindness of the word Smokestack clears his chest And he coughs into his sleeve Saying I'll out-live the best of you And with your widow dance and grieve; We'll keep your name alive Oh, and I'll keep your darlin' warm Believing all we read And trusting in the kindness of the world I saw Davy twist and shout I saw Davy draw a crowd
I saw Davy raise his head And I heard him cry out loud: I saw Davy climb a tree To be nearer to his Lord Now we're sending up his meals The only kindness we afford Come every New Year's eve I'm always sitting here While Baby shines her shoes And she spits into my beer; But tonight I feel I'm floating For minutes at a time Just listening to the bells And trusting in the kindness of the world But tonight I feel I'm floating For minutes at a time Just listening to the bells And trusting in the kindness of the world