The Pilgrim, Chapter 33

By Kris Kristofferson

Lyrics

See him wasted on the sidewalk, in his jacket and his jeans

Wearin' yesterday's misfortunes like a smile

Once he had a future, full of money love and dreams

Which he spent like they was goin' out o' style


And he keeps right on a'changin', for the better or the worse

Searchin' for a shrine he's never found

Never knowin' if believin', is a blessin' or a curse

Or if the goin' up was worth, the comin' down


He's a poet, an' he's a picker, he's a prophet, an' he's a pusher

He's a pilgrim and a preacher, and a problem when he's stoned

He's a walkin' contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction

Takin' ev'ry wrong direction on his lonely way back home


He has tasted good and evil, in your bedrooms and your bars

And he's traded in tomorrow for today

Runnin' from his devils Lord, and reachin' for the stars

And losin' all he loved, along the way


But if this world keeps right on turnin', for the better or the worse

And all he ever gets is older and around

From the rockin' of the cradle, to the rollin' of the hearse

The goin' up was worth, the comin' down


He's a poet, an' he's a picker, he's a prophet, an' he's a pusher

He's a pilgrim and a preacher, and a problem when he's stoned

He's a walkin' contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction

Takin' ev'ry wrong direction on his lonely way back home


There's a lot of wrong directions, on that lonely way back home