"NUMB"

 © 2013 Oliver John-Rodgers (OJR) 

Everybody always tellin' me 

That it don’t do me no good 

To try to fix what is broken 

They say there ain’t no use in splintered wood 

Everyone, they try and tell me 

“You don’t know nothin'--you’re only 21” 

Well aw sorry, man 

I didn’t know you’d gotten so cynical 

Don’t blame your age for makin' you numb 

You’re so numb 

Let me tell you ‘bout last night 

I was postin’ up round, you know 

The old neighborhood bar 

I got to talkin’ to a girl named Katherine, with an accent 

She brought with her from somewhere far 

She said, “Aw, boy, you’re so young! 

Why don’t you go travel some? 

Go sleep a night in another country’s bed” 

I said, “Hey, Kat 

You know, it seems that 

You got the right idea 

I’m tired of the food I’ve been fed” 

But I’m not numb 

I’m sick of everybody always tellin’ me 

How empathy don’t do business any good 

They might as well say, 

"Hey, boy, you shouldn’t give your extra bread to the homeless 

Outside the Bowery Mission in your own neighborhood” 

I'm fed up with everybody always tellin' me 

I don’t know nothin’ ‘cause I’m "too young" 

When the only thing they’ve learned in their 35 years of living 

Is to fight the urge to trust anyone 

(Come on, son… That’s no fun!) 

You’re so numb