AND THEY HAVE GUNS

Old Mr. Hanson was the target

Of three twelve year old boys that I knew

Actually it was his garden

They stole most of everything he grew

They made a mistake one Sunday morning

Said he had a gun, tried to shoot them dead

I lived across the street from Mr. Hanson

All I ever saw him do was shake his head

~~~*1st Chorus*~~~

The cops showed up, and pointed guns

At a man who'd never hurt someone

And I wondered if those boy's parents knew

What their children were up to

~~~*~~~

Two sets of parents reigned their kids in

Pulled weeds for Mr. Hanson for years

They grew up respecting other people

If someone was in need they volunteered

~~~*Lyrical Bridge*~~~

One sneered at others principles

Was never held accountable

Boys will be boys his parents claimed

Gardens, stores, the bank on 9th

Something they couldn't fix this time

On every friend, he'd ever had, they laid the blame

What a rotten shame

~~*~~

~~~*2nd Chorus*~~~

The cops showed up, and pointed guns

At a kid who'd bothered everyone

And I wondered if his parents finally knew

What they'd enabled him to do

~~~*~~~

~~~*Finale*~~~

Don't jump in with excuses

Don't call it harmless fun

Hold your kids responsible

For the wrongs that they have done

Know what they are doing 

If you're going to let them run

Or the cops will come

And they have guns

~~*~~

Teresa Lynn Johnson
Wrdspnr@aol.com
Copyright© 2014