Carpenter

Sara Messenger © 1989

I’d like to marry a carpenter,
A man who lives by his hands
One who hammered and saw
The things I need a friend to understand
A man who steadily works in wood
But readily would not work
For anyone going against the grain
Of God’s green earth

I’d like to marry a carpenter
A man who’s apt to afford
Far more time to the boards in a chair
Than to some conceited chairman of the board
Don’t wanna make him a killing (just a living)
He knows no money can buy
The kind of lifetime that gives
A man some peace of mind

No pushing papers for any man of mine
He knows there’s nothing more precious than time
Won’t give his all away to no nine-to-five grind

I wanna marry a carpenter
Who loves the work that he do
Though the fruits of his labor are small
His frames are plumb and all his words are true
Don’t fill his house with possessions (that’s a lesson)
The rooms are full to the brim
With all the riches an honest man can find within

No pushing papers for any man of mine
He knows there’s nothing more precious than time
Won’t give his all away to no nine-to-five grind

I’d like to marry a carpenter
And hear the song of his saw
Justice is his only boss, in or outside of the law
When people talk about cheating
I know he won’t go along
He still remembers the difference
Between right and wrong