John Hartford My Face
My face, I don't mind it
I'm standing behind it
It hangs down in front by my hair
It studies the cards
All the aces and spade
But it don't have to call which they are
I've taught it to smile
And to wrinkle its nose
And to froth at the mouth when its mad
I've taught it to yawn
And to laugh and to snarl
And to hang out its lip when its sad
My face, I don't mind it
I live here behind it
Quite tightly it's wedged 'tween my ears
It acts like a wall
Over which lies the world
So they can't read my hopes or my fears
In front of my chin
Past the sights and the smells
And the songs and the sounds of the horns
Of the traffic and blaring
And honking and screeching
Of time since the day i was born
My face, if you find it
I'm back here behind it
Its only a mask for the soul
It don't have no lines
You can follow as such
For its only a part not the whole
While you could be talking
Or snarling or coughing
Or holding your head while you weep
In back of this face i could
Watch or be singing
Or sometimes i might be asleep
