I’m the Man in Brown

(With apologies to Johnny Cash)

 

Well, you wonder why I always dress in brown,

Why never smiling white or blackened frown,

And why does my visage and my old clothing fade into

The background of the noisy hullabaloo?

 

I wear brown for the folks who keep their peace

And mind their business and respect police,

I wear it for the citizens who behave with charity

Not broadcasting from rooftops, noisily;

 

I wear it for the people low on cash,

Whose bank accounts and cars are not too flash,

For sinners who believe or those who do not have the knack

But respect belief, I’ve a brown coat on my back

 

Well, the life we’re living now is fairly blessed,

Fine food, nice homes and everyone well-dressed

But in order to remember the people who are done down

Up front there ought to be a man in brown

 

The brown I wear for the people who keep calm,

Who don’t wear masks or bands upon their arm

Who aren’t alarmed like frightened mice and turn away to run,

Who still see the world and all it gives as fun

 

Well, there’s things that never will be right, I know

And people see improvements as too slow,

They hate their fellows and brandish their torches in the town

Until they wake up, I’m the man in brown.