Joseph Was A Tin Man - Maddy Prior

Joseph was a tin man

Came far across the sea

He came to buy my tin

His nephew came with him

A lad from Galilee

I’d meet them at the quay

They’d always stay with me

«Romans have no sway here»

He always used to say

«At home they kill for fun

Hang men out in the sun

On crosses every day

That is the Roman way

All rebels they will slay

This is a perfect place here

For free men to walk»

On nights with breezes cool

He’d sit by a pool

And his nephew would talk

In the evening they’d walk

And quietly they’d talk

He hated going back there

«I'll return one day» he said

«This is the land I love

And this is where I’ll live

When my work is done» he said

«When I’m done with tin and lead

I’ll come back here» he said

I hear he’s on the marsh now

With a church of wattle daub

He’s found his sacred place

All wisdom and grace

And God and his word

He’s living undisturbed

Or so I have heard

Yes, Joseph was a tin man

Came far across the sea

He came to buy my tin

His nephew came with him

A lad from Galilee

A prophet, seemingly

The man from Galilee