«I took the skin of corpses…» — Summary

I took the skin of corpses And dyed them blue for dreams Oh I can wear these everywhere (I sat home in my jeans). I cut the hair of corpses And wove myself a sheath Finer than silk or wool I thought And shivered underneath I cut the ears of corpses To make myself a hood -- Warmer than forget-me-nots I paid for that in blood. I robbed the eyes of corpses So I could face the sun But all the days had cloudy skies And I had lost my own. From the sex of corpses I sewed a union suit Esther, Solomon, God himself Were humbler than my cook. I took the thoughts of corpses To buy my daily needs But all the goods in all the stores Were neatly labeled Me. I borrowed heads of corpses To do my reading by I found my name on every page And every word a lie. Now when I meet the spirits In who's tappings I am jailed They buy me wine or read a book No one can make my bail. When I become a spirit (I'll have to wait for life) I'll sell my deadly body To the student doctor's knife.