3 Faces In The Window

we got dressed up and went to a cafe
the new place on old highway one
i handed my keys to the valet, over-tipped him
and said 'why thank you, son'

the hostess then showed us the way to our table
past patrons so well groomed and gay
as we took our places, i noticed three faces
in the window looking our way

there was a young man, of i would say 30
speckles of gray in his hair
his clothes, though old, were not dirty
2 young ones clung to him there

in awe of it all, that father stood tall
his children's eyes all aglow
the thought in each face read, this here's a place
people like us cannot go

i saw three faces in the window
so tired, so humble, so plain
as i stared at the bounty around me
i could not help but feeling ashamed

the lights in that barroom were blazing
the light in your eyes was shining through too
with one heart we looked at those faces
so down on their luck, on the dark avenue

now i have one more reason to hate you
my darling, love of my life
for i thought your heart too'd be breaking
your words cut me worse than a knife

you said 'those beggars out there, no manners i swear
we're trying to eat, can they not see
with those big hollow eyes, they're bringing me down
tell the waiter to run them away'

i saw three faces in the window
so tired, so humble, so plain
as i stared at the bounty around me
i could not help but feeling ashamed
yes, i saw three faces in the window
so sweet, so hungry, so frail
as i glared at the bounty around me
i felt foolish, yes guilty as well

phil lee / big yellow dog / bmi

illustration by John Sieger