Join the army
out of high school
where I learned to survive
Came home and got a job
in the shop building
Buick's on the line
When they laid me off the last time,
the unemployment ran dry.
And when I couldn't pay the bills,
I had to learn to live outside.
Never used to be a drinker,
but now it's how I live.
Started just so I could stay warm
and it helped me to fit in
I'm a veteran now of my community too
and the city streets are my home
I may be an alcoholic,
but I never have to drink alone
Well here I am, though you can't see me,
the invisible man
I'm just glad that you can hear me,
so you know where I stand
I'm not looking for a handout,
I just wanna be heard
I'm just down on my luck,
and all I've got are these words
Sometimes I know you see me,
but then you look away or through
And I don't always want to be noticed,
I'm not proud of what I have to do
But I know you just don't want a deal,
so you pretend that I'm not there
It's as if I don't exist,
like a ghost who floats through the air
You might see me at the shelter,
I'm not too proud to ask for help
You might see me at the bus station,
yeah, sometimes I talk to myself.
But I make my world a better place,
every day I find a way to help.
On the street we help each other out,
it's never every man for himself. Well here I am,
though you can't see me,
the invisible man
I'm just glad that you can hear me,
so you know where I stand
I'm not looking for a handout,
I just wanna be heard
I'm just down on my luck,
and all I've got are these words.
You find some bottles to return,
and anything that'll burn.
When you're cold and you're hungry,
you live and you learn.
When you're all out of cash,
you gotta go through the trash
You find yourself some scraps,
and find a way to make them last
The bootstrap preachers
say to pull yourself up
The mission workers say
that you're not sober enough
When there's no money, no work,
and nowhere to go
You take your tarp and your bag
and find a place to lay low
Well, here I am, though you can't see me,
the Invisible Man
I'm just glad that you can hear me,
so you know where I stand
I'm not looking for a handout,
I just wanna be heard
I'm just down on my luck,
and all I've got are these words.
So now you've heard my story,
and I hope you understand.
I'm doing the best I can,
being Visible Man.
you