Master Poet: Kris Kristofferson P.I.F.

I hear you Kris, Bob Atkinson

 Master Poet:   Kris Kristofferson  P.I.F.

To Beat The Devil

Kris Kristofferson

Poemwriter: Kris Kristofferson

a couple of years back

I come across a great and wasted

friend of mine

in the hallway of a recording studio

and while he was reciting some poetry to me

that he'd written

I saw that he was about a step away from dyin'

and I couldn't help but wonder why

and the lines of this song occurred to me

I'm happy to say he's no longer wasted

and he's got him a good woman

and I'd like to dedicate this

to John and June

who helped show me how to beat the devil

it was winter time in Nashville

down on music city row

and I was lookin' for a place to get

myself out of the cold

to warm the frozen feelin'

that was eatin' at my soul

keep the chilly wind off my guitar

my thirsty wanted whiskey

my hungry needed beans

but it'd been of month of paydays since

I'd heard that eagle scream

so with a stomach full of empty

and a pocket full of dreams

I left my pride and stepped inside a bar

actually,

I guess you'd could call it a Tavern

cigarette smoke to the ceiling

and sawdust on the floor

friendly shadows

I saw that there was just

one old man sittin' at the bar

and in the mirror, I could see him

checkin' me and my guitar

an' he turned and said

"come up here boy,

and show us what you are"

I said, "I'm dry", he bought me a beer

he nodded at my guitar and said,

"it's a tough life, ain't it?"

I just looked at him

he said

"you ain't makin' any money, are you?"

I said, "You've been readin' my mail"

he just smiled and said

"let me see that guitar

I've got something you oughta hear"

then he laid it on me

"if you waste your time a-talkin'

to the people who don't listen

to the things that you are sayin'

who do you think's gonna hear

and if you should die explainin'

how the things that they complain about

are things they could be changin'

who do you think's gonna care?"

there were other lonely singers

in a world turned deaf and blind

who were crucified

for what they tried to show

and their voices have been scattered

by the swirling winds of time

'cause the truth remains

that no-one wants to know

well,

the old man was a stranger

but I'd heard his song before

back when failure had me locked out

on the wrong side of the door

when no-one stood behind me

but my shadow on the floor

and lonesome was

more than a state of mind

you see,

the devil haunts a hungry man

if you don't wanna join him

you got to beat him

I ain't sayin' I beat the devil,

but I drank his beer for nothing

then I stole his song

and you still can hear me singin'

to the people who don't listen

to the things that I am sayin'

prayin' someone's gonna hear

and I guess I'll die explainin'

how the things that they complain about

are things they could be changin'

hopin' someone's gonna care

I was born a lonely singer

and I'm bound to die the same

but I've got to feed

the hunger in my soul

and if I never have a nickel

I won't ever die ashamed

'cause I don't believe

that no-one wants to know