I hear that Muddy Waters is frequenting these fairs
With a pack of lies behind her and ribbons in her hair
A stranger thus approached me on top of Emerald Hill
I went down with a fever and woke up with a chill
Then stumbled to my bare feet, a-wondering what to say
And turned towards a creature so finely cast in clay
Behold my grave misfortune at this renegade hotel
Now take me to these fairgrounds, I will reward you well
I fear I'll be rewarded in the currency of shame
And they call it reputation, by the way, what you call fame
I took her by her collar, said, "Are you not aware?
I've been deprived of anger to which I was the rightful heir"
"It's not for lack of pity I refuse your sorry state
Nor on grounds of virtue, Sir, that I hesitate"
I let go of her collar and ventured down the stairs
She gathered her composure and said "I'll take you to these fairs"
"It falls upon the gentle, and on the innocent, too
I hear the devil needs a showcase, it might as well be you"
With these kind words of comfort she agreed to take me on
Though blindfolded and naked, of no harm to anyone
To ridicule and laughter I exposed this heart of mine
With a fever high and rising and my spirits in decline
For just like Job before me I cursed the day I was born
Like the sparrows in the bushes I felt the sting of thorns
Awhile my persecutor flourished like a rose
As I buried my companion in the very ground she chose
Through tears and perspiration my weary eyes a**umed
To undertake the verses that would decorate her tomb
I knew my time was coming, if no one intervened
When someone turned me over and said, "I'm Jeremiah Spleen"
"As much as I'm a stranger, I'm the stranger in your dream"
I recognized that moment Muddy Waters' seam
Her petty accusations swirled above the noise
As Jeremiah warned me with low and fearsome voice
"Some are broken vessels, impossible to fill
I believed that truth was brilliant, well, sometimes it's just shrill"
I spied her 'cross the fairgrounds, her hair was shining red
As I stepped up to her charges, she stayed two or three ahead
Then, suddenly, she silenced like someone did appear
And when she gave a curtsey, I knew the Prince of Lies was near
Cried Jeremiah plainly with piercing eyes so blue
"Her time of apprehension is well nigh overdue!"
His arms swung low with fury, his voice resembled smoke
She turned around to waste him just when my fever broke
I threw a burning slingshot from the bottom of my heart
And got myself together as Muddy Waters fell apart
She rubbed her face with ashes, she tore her faded jeans
She wrote that name in charcoal, "Jeremiah Spleen"