Crying Wolf - Peter Hammill

You turn out the lights and sit alone

Trying to pretend that it’s anguish

Start at the ring of a telephone

Throw down all your food at the banquet

Keep a close eye on all you own

While leaving it all to languish…

Is this what makes you happy?

Is this what brings you joy?

Your excuses are so crappy…

Silly boy

You take all the love and throw it aside

To wallow in your sorrow

Expect everyone to know how you feel inside

To forgive and forget come tomorrow;

Repaying all your debts with uncommon pride

But denying that you ever borrowed…

Is this what makes you perfect?

Is this what makes you free?

Just how long did you rehearse it

Or does it just come naturally?

Crying wolf from the depth of your sheep’s heart

Crying fire from the depth of the well

In an endless parade of repeat starts

Just how long will it last — can you tell?

Until all your friends and lovers

Are simply bored with the pretence?

It’ll be too late then to discover

Just exactly what you meant

And what was true

And what was false…

The wolf turned into human

The killer with remorse

Crying pain as though that should be pleasure

Crying anger as though that should be revenge

Crying sorrow as though that were a treasure —

Your treasure will find you in the end

When all of your friends have gone away

Unwilling to put up with the danger

That lies in each spiteful word you say

You’ll be left, a greying wolf in a manger

And when you’ve raised your last howl

And destroyed all that you can

With rotting teeth an slack jowls

You’ll be left a lonely man

And when it’s nearly finished

And you know the end is near

With true sorrow undiminished

There’ll be no-one left to hear…

Your desperate cries

They all come out as bleats:

You thought you were a wolf-man

But you’re really

Just a sheep