Brother John (Charcoal on Paper)

There was a friend I had, we called him Brother John, it was many heavy years ago now
He had a poet’s heart and a painter’s touch and was more honest than the world would allow
The rest of us grew up and made our compromise but he was never one to play that game
He was caught between a cold machine and an everlasting flame
He was caught between a cold machine and an everlasting flame

We used to smoke on the side of thе railroad tracks and tell jokes that we shouldn’t havе told
Until the powers that be locked us all in a room with a confession that we couldn’t withhold
“You can save your friends or you can save yourself”, they said you really oughta be ashamed
We were caught between a cold machine and an everlasting flame

I moved away too young into a violent town and chased a dream that I shouldn’t have chased
John moved to St. Augustine and worked the door at a shot and beer place
I think he fell in love with a world he dreamed that in reality it never became
He was caught between a cold machine, hey

They say he had a right to choose
But his life was not just his to lose
Now that he’s gone

Meanwhile some shallow men in a far-off town dragged us all down a slippery slope
And the doctor’s brand new miracle cure was just good old fashioned dope
They say the road to hell is like a Sunday walk until the devil gets to know your name
Then you’re caught between a cold machine and an everlasting flame

Now there’s a silver stream of water in the street about a block from where his body was found
And the children laugh and sing their songs as the summer starts to wind itself down
But I see Johnny’s face when I close my eyes, more than our time together can explain
Like a slow refrain

He was caught between a cold machine, hey
He was caught between a cold machine, hey
He was caught between a cold machine, hey
Caught between a cold machine, hey