Don't Take His Name Away

Life came at him just like cold reaching up from the floor
His fire wouldn't catch, no-one knocking at his door
It was not long ago that he stood in the midday sun
Like a ragged man whose time would come
Now our tears have a little laughter
'Cause he gave up being afraid of the ever ever after
We lost a friend today and all the papers say
It was just one more beating heart that died in bed today
Don't you take his name away, don't take his name away
He lived his life in some secret inner landscape
And hawkers on the pavement and the games they played
His words try to convey with the heat and the dust and such
The joy of all he'd come to know and the little he'd come to trust
Now our tears have a little laughter
'Cause he gave up being afraid of the ever ever after
We lost a friend today and all the papers say
It was just one more beating heart that died in bed today
Don't you take his name away, don't take his name away
A gentle wind brought to mind some kind of Indian spice
Up all night he saw the sun rise twice
Seduced by laughter from rose petal eyes
He left the world this morning fully realized
Now our tears have a little laughter
'Cause he gave up being afraid of the ever ever after
We lost a friend today and all the papers say
It was just one more beating heart that died in bed today
Don't you take his name away, don't take his name away