St. Stephen by The Grateful Dead Lyrics

[Verse 1: Jerry Garcia & Phil Lesh]
Saint Stephen with a rose
In and out of the garden he goes
Country garland in the wind and the rain
Wherever he goes, the people all complain

[Verse 2: Jerry Garcia & Phil Lesh]
Stephen prospered in his time
Well he may and he may decline
Did it matter? Does it now?
Stephen would answer if he only knew how

[Instrumental]

[Verse 3: Jerry Garcia & Phil Lesh]
Wishing well with a golden bell
Bucket hanging clear to Hell
Hell halfway 'twixt now and then
Stephen fill it up and lower down
And lower down again
[Bridge: Jerry Garcia & Phil Lesh]
Ladyfinger dipped in moonlight
Writing "What for?" across the morning sky
Sunlight splatters dawn with answers
Darkness shrugs and bids the day good-bye
Speeding arrow, sharp and narrow
What a lot of fleeting matters you have spurned
Several seasons with their treasons
Wrap the babe in scarlet covers, call it your own

[Verse 4: Jerry Garcia & Phil Lesh]
Did he doubt or did he try?
Answers aplenty in the bye and bye
Talk about your plenty, talk about your ills
One man gathers what another man spills

[Instrumental Break]

[Verse 5: Jerry Garcia & Phil Lesh]
Saint Stephen will remain
All he's lost he shall regain
Seashore washed by the suds and foam
Been here so long he's got to calling it home

[Outro: Jerry Garcia & Phil Lesh]
Fortune comes a-crawling, Calliope woman
Spinning that curious sense of your own
Can you answer? Yes I can
But what would be the answer to the answer man?