Francis Lyrics - The Roches

(Song of gratitude to St. Francis of Assisi) 

My patron saint's a man who went 

from town to town and paid no rent 

The things he owned besides his soul 

were shoes a gown and a begging bowl. 

What struck me first when I was young 

was how he never got bit or stung 

though bears and snakes he did befriend 

real bears and snakes not just pretend. 

I knew this wasn't easy stuff 

because I tried it myself enough 

but bears and snakes they ran from me 

though dogs and cats came willingly. 

Deep within the wooded calm 

he sang a song a simple psalm 

"Make me an instrument of thy peace 

Let love be sown and hatred cease". 

Now me I live beyond my means 

in the city of lost and broken dreams 

with too many pairs of shoes 

that take me round and round the blues. 

And the price of things is never low 

or else it isn't worth the go 

and taking time turns out to give 

the time it takes to really live. 

You may not know who you are 

until you get hit by a star 

like I did and lived to say 

it happened on my saint's feast day. 

So I'm still here where I belong 

and many years have come and gone 

since that dance, since that kiss, Francis