Walking the streets of Jerusalem

Walking the streets of Jerusalem
copyright 2011 Dan Sullivan




It was cold that night
There was somethin' in the air
Somethin' wasn't right
So I said a little prayer
While I was walking the streets of Jerusalem


Two women in Burqas  
Being questioned by the cops
There's a man standing watch
In the doorway of a mosque
And I'm walking the streets of Jerusalem


The man in the doorway
Well he needed a bath
So I handed him a cigarette 
And he lit it with a match
I just kept walking the streets of Jerusalem


An Imam's being interviewed
By  Al Jazeera
In a hotel across the street
Narcissus smiles into a mirror
While I'm walking the streets of Jerusalem


She puts on her best dress
And she  walks outside
To join some kind of  flash mob 
That's  being  televised 
As I'm walking the streets of Jerusalem


So I'm walking down the street 
Knowing something isn't right 
Could almost put  my finger on it
Almost but not quite
And I'm walking  the streets of Jerusalem


From across the street a man
Comes walking up to me 
He says,  "Do you know who I am?"
I say, "You're the Man of Mystery"
And we're walking  the streets of Jerusalem


"You're a clever man yourself," he says
"Soon all will be revealed
But 'til then you must keep quiet" 
I say, "man, my lips are sealed
I'm just walking  the streets of Jerusalem"


"The sky is full of lies," he says
"The world's full of deception
It's too late to negotiate
It's too late for concessions
Just keep walking  the streets of Jerusalem"


"I know very well that things 
Aren't always what they seem
But your words are so confusing"
I say, "tell me what you mean"


He says, "there's  lies on every tongue
Fallin' from every mouth
Hang around here long enough
And you'll figure it out
While you're walking  the streets of Jerusalem"


Then with one bony finger
He points towards the Temple
'N says, "It's all been written down
None of it's accidental"
And we're walking  the streets of Jerusalem


"The hour's late.  I have to go
But I'll see you around
I've got a little business
In a garden  outside  town"
And we're walking  the streets of Jerusalem


"Keep  all of this  a secret
Don't put it on your blog
Don't speak of it in church
Or at the synagogue
Just keep walking  the streets of Jerusalem"


It was cold that night
There was something in the air
Something wasn't right
So I said a little prayer


While I was walking the streets of Jerusalem