Utah Phillips
Kid’s Liberation
Look what I found out here in the back yard
It's fuzzy and looks like it's going somewhere
When I open my hand up to ask you my question
You thump me and holler, "Don't bring that in here!"
Well I had a question I wanted to ask you
And I had some thoughts that I wanted to share
But you make me feel like I don't know nothing
And you make me wonder if you even care
I'm stuck down here in a world full of giants
You push me around like a dumb little kid
And sometimes you hit me just 'cause you want to
I don't even know what it was that I did
Oh mommy's out putting her hair up in curlers
And daddy's wrapped up in his football and beer
And maybe they think that I'm just a damn nuisance
But I sure as hell didn't ask to be here
Oh I ain't a broom that you hide in the closet
And I ain't a dog that you bribe with a treat
I'm tired of your threats and your punches and promises
And I'd run away, but I can't cross the street
Surrounded by teachers and creatures and parents
You say everybody knows better than me
But I know some things that you never thought of
And you'd be surprised at the stuff that I see
Oh I see the ants and I see the butterflies
I see the birds in the tops of the trees
And I got me a camera that doesn't miss nothing
And my friends are anything smaller than me
I've tried all I can to get your attention
I'll have to try some other thing, I suppose
When you tiptoe in to tuck in my covers
I think I'll sit up and bite off your nose
Now everyone's trying to get liberated
You've all got the notion you want to be free
Red folks and black folks and poor folks and women
Now all you damn grownups, stop pickin' on me!