the violence of our youngest child
something that the neighbours could admire
showered with what we could not afford

and beat into him all that we could not have taught

and he became just fist and tooth

he lost every trace of the boy we knew

we tied a rag around his eyes

and dragged him screaming through the night
you kissed his forehead, i shook his hand
he scratched your face he bit my hand


and we cut him loose
oh, neighbourhood!

we set him free and offered him to thee

and we cut him loose

oh, neighbourhood!
we set him free and offered him to thee


and we cut him loose
oh, neighbourhood!
we set him free and offered him to thee