Salamander - Live

Larry was a mining man
A picking axe in his right hand
He crawled amongst the beatles
And the worms in the ground

He dug himself a big black hole
In which to plant his little soul
And feed his family the coal
His dirty hands had found

He slaved until his hands did bleed
To satisfy the company's need
And spread a malevolent seed
Across his little town

Despite his mercurial haste
Larry often stopped to taste
The clear spring water filled with life
And creatures small and brown

A worm in the spring
Canaries did sing

Money and greed and the things
That they bring

A salamander in the spring
The hornet's bitter sting

One day Larry dug too deep
And waked what should be left to sleep
He felt the cold hand of death creep
Over his earthly stead

He ran along the path back home
The creek now stank with orange foam
And all the creatures large and small
That lived in it were dead

And though he never failed to praise
The God above who has no name
He also knew the simple brave
Who worshipped the land

'Afore he opened up his door he knew
His days as a family man were through
His children and his wife had paid their due
Killed by His own hand