Tin to mouth

Tin to feet

One jig to reel

enough to eat

 

Is he broken, broke, breaking

on the pavement by the station?

Is he played, paid, playing

to his own tune or to yours?

 

Tin to mouth

Tin to feet

Two jigs to reel

enough to eat

 

Do you jingle jangle shillings

in your pocket as you’re walking

past the tinsmith making

all the magic in your ears?

 

Tin to mouth

Tin to feet

Three  jigs to reel

enough to eat

 

Does your breath push pictures

through a rusting whistle?

Can you fingerpaint

a Raggle Taggle Gypsy-o?

 

Tin to mouth

Tin to feet

Do you have

enough to eat?

 

Will your blind eye see?

Might you turn to tin

if you pay no heed

to the picture that you’re in?

 

By the grace of god,

let the queen’s head drop

to the tinsmith’s feet

on a street that can run

two ways.

 

 

Photo courtesy of Richard Nixon of Rich Pictures 

https://www.facebook.com/richpicturesphotography