He tells himself a story:
“I am great. I am wise.”
There will be truth in that story.
What though, it’s only lies.
He listens to his story:
“You are great. You are wise.”
And he believes his telling.
What though, it’s only lies.
He walks his way through living:
Thinking “great”, thinking “wise”;
Taking on the mummer’s role.
What though, it’s only lies.
The people see his coming:
They see great, they see wise.
They beg him for a sooth-say.
What though, it’s only lies.
He tells to them a story:
He speaks great. He speak wise.
They stand there all enraptured.
What though, it’s only lies.
They see his words a-happening.
His words great. His words wise.
They see his sooth a-passing;
what though, it’s only lies.
They tell of him a story:
“He was great. He was wise.”
There is truth in that story.
What though, it’s only lies.