Dogs in the Midwinter

You ever had a day like I had today
When things are stacked up bad?
You look around and every face you see
Seems guaranteed to send you mad
And you peer into those hallowed institutions
And they bark at you from every side
But the bite goes wide

I see them running with their tails hanging low
Like dogs in the midwinter
The prophets and the wise men and the hard politicos
Are all dogs in the midwinter
Let the breath from the mountain still the pain
Clear water from the fountain run sweeter than the rain
Dogs in the midwinter

The boss man and the tax man and the moneylenders growl...
Like dogs in the midwinter
The weaker of the herd can feel their eyes and hear them howl
Like dogs in the midwinter
Though the fox and the rabbit are at peace
Cold doggies in the manger turn last suppers into feasts
Dogs in the midwinter

You ever had a day like I had today ---
Dogs in the midwinter
You look around and every face you see ---
Dogs in the midwinter
And you peer into those hallowed institutions
And they bark at you from every side
But the bite goes wide

We're all running on a tightrope, wearing slippers in the snow...
We're all dogs in the midwinter
The ice is ever thinner. Be careful how you go
Like dogs in the midwinter
And it's hard to find true equilibrium
When you're looking at each other down the muzzle of a gun
Dogs in the midwinter