Layman's Banquet

Layman’s Banquet Call the watchman now it’s done Almost time to rest the brush Work is done and there’s the feast ahead Whistling with its spilling cups But you won’t make it to the feast No your patron’s starting to retreat Whisper of the holy man behind Says his word’s got the key And the word was baking in the midday light couldn’t count what it was worth How you treat a prayer when money’s on the way Throw it in the hearth to burn No, you won’t settle down for that Need a target to aim at Truth is polishing the endless stone til its point might cut at last But your patron, he regrets He was weighing pennies in his head He was lighting up that lantern too As you laid your head to rest When the gift comes easy it’s too much to fight More’s already on the way til the wheel it stops upon a dead end road Save a little for that day