On Trial

(album: Luke The Drifter, Jr. - 1969)

Order in the court I heard His Honor say
A man was called before the bench and his trial got under way

You're standing here on trial today the third time within a year
And each time you've been before me your drinking brought you here
The last time I gave you 30 days and a 50 dollar fine
Oh but you well know the price you'll pay won't be so light this time
For drunk driving is not the only charge that we have you on today
But also the light of a little girl the one you took away
As I sat there and heard the judge condemn the man's disgrace
I saw a look of pitty reflected on his face
I couldn't understand then why he was letting him go free
But as the judge continued to talk he made it plain to see
No I'm not gonna have you thrown into a prison cell
I want you out where you can walk through a life of living hell
I want you to see the tiny children as they come out to play
And let your mind take you back to the life you took away
You'll see a cold deathly picture in every bottle you get near
And when you put it to your lips your hands will shake with fear
You'll never get a goodnight sleep for always in your dreams
You'll see a car strike down a little girl and hear her painful scream
This is one disgrace that you'll never live down
For ever once in awhile you'll hear someone say
There goes the man that killed his only child
Case dismissed