Why burn poor and lonely?   Under a bowl   Or under a lamp shade   Or on the shelf beside the bed   Where at night you lay turning   Like a door on its hinges   First on your left side   Then on your right side   Then on your left side again      Why burn poor and lonely?   Tell all the stones   We're gonna make a building   They'll be cut into shape   And set into place   Or if you'd rather be a window   I'll gladly be the frame   Reflecting any kind words   We'll let in all the blame   And ruin our reputation all the same   So never mind our plan making   We'll start living   Anyway    Aren't you unbearably sad?   Then why burn so poor and lonely?      We'll be like torches   We'll be like torches   We'll be like torches   We’ll be torches together   Torches together      We'll be like torches   We'll be like torches   With whatever respect   Our tattered dignity demands   Torches together   Hand in hand      Why pluck one string?   What good is just one note?   Oh one string sounds fine I guess   But we were once one note   We weren’t lonely wheat   Quietly ground into grain   One light and momentary pain   So why the safe distance?   This curious look   Why tear out single pages,   When you can throw away the book?   Why pluck one string when you can   Strum the guitar?   Strum the guitar   Strum the guitar   Strum the guitar   With no beginning   With no end   Take down the guitar   And strum the guitar   Strum the guitar if you’re afraid   And I’m afraid   And everyone’s afraid   And everyone knows it   But we don’t have to be afraid   Anymore      You played the flute   But no one was dancing   You sang a sad song   But none of us cried      You played the flute   But no one was dancing   And you sang a sad song   You sang such a sad song