The Masterpiece

Cash Johnny

There was an old stone-cutter who lived in a cabin on the mountain side 
And the old stone-cutter knew it won't be long before he died 
And all around his cabin were statues the man had made 
Statues that the buyers said were all of a mediocre grade 
With his calloused hands he lit a lamp and laid down his head on his handmade table 
And he softly whispered Lord I'm old and shaky and I'm hardly able 
But give me strenght and wisdom and give me a week at least 
And I'll climb up to the top of this mountain and chisel out a masterpiece 
The very next morning he felt new strenght 
And he took his brand new hammer and the sharpest chisel 
He began to climb the mountain his old feet slipping in the freezing dizzle 
When he finally reached the top he shouted to a world that didn't hear 
I'll carve my masterpiece out of this marble boulder here 
So the hammer beat the chisel and he hammered till an image grew 
Then he stopped to look it over to appraise his work when he was through 
It was a boy carrying a crippled boy and the old man said it isn't my masterpiece 
I'll call it charity and then a masterpiece of mine will be 
So the hammer beat the chisel til another immage in a marbel grew 
Then the wind began to blowing and he sat and rested when he was through 
It was the image of a mother holding her child 
He said this is love as the world would know 
But it isn't my masterpiece and he began again as it began to snow 
The hammer beat the chisel as the snow fell harder and the wind grew and grew 
He fell to his knees holding a stone and he threw down his hammer and his chisel too 
He lay frozen face down in the snow but one hand was held for the world to see 
Cut in the marble was his masterpice three neatly carved letters GOD