When subside the tides of learning
When my reservoir drains dry
What will then fulfil my yearning
What will brighten up my sky
What will then keep my heart burning
Fuel the fire in my eye
Will the world still go on turning
When the embers fade and die
Will I even yearn at all
When my inspiration fades
Or just curl into a ball
And just draw down all the shades
Will my silent world grow small
Retiring in the mire I've made
Or will I reel so from my fall
I reach for the razor-blade
What's the meaning of my birth
Why these strange sad songs I'm singing
Have I sung a thing of worth
Is the bell I ring worth ringing
Why turn misery to mirth
Are my syphilitic gifts worth giving
Or am I tent-pegged to the turf
Of a life that's not worth living
When subside the tides of learning
When my reservoir drains dry
What will then fulfil my yearning
What will brighten up my sky
What will then keep my heart burning
Fuel the fire in my eye
Will the world still go on turning
When the embers fade and die