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THE WINNER (Shel Silverstein) I walked up to a man with a beer in his hand, He looked like a drunken fool And I knew that if I hit him right, I could knock him off his stool; But everybody said, "Hey, watch out That's Tiger Man NcCool He's had a whole lot of fights And he always come out the winner. Well, I'd had myself about five too many And I stepped up tall and proud, Facin' his back, facin' the fact That he had never stooped nor bowed. I said, "Tiger Man, you're a pussycat!" And a hush fell on the crowd, I said, "Let's you and me step outside And see who's the winner." Well, he gripped the bar with one big hairy hand, He leaned against the wall, Slowly, he stood up from his chair My God! That man was tall. He said, "Boy, I see you're a scrapper So just before you fall, I'm gonna tell you just what it means To be a winner. Well, you see these bright white smiling teeth You know they ain't my own Mine rolled away like Chiclets Down a street in San Antone. But I left that person cursin' Nursin' seven broken bones And he only broke three of mine, So I guess that makes me the winner. Now behind this grin, I got a steel pin That holds my jaw in place, It's a trophy of my most successful Motorcycle race. And every morning, when I awake I see this scar across my face It reminds me of all I got By bein' a winner. Yes my broken back was the dyin' act Of Handsome Harry Clay, That sticky Cincinnatti night I stole his wife away. And you know, son, she gets meaner And uglier every day, But I got her, boy, And that's what makes me the winner. Well, you have to speak loud when you challenge me, son, You know it's hard for me to hear, With this twisted neck and this migraine pain And this cauliflower ear. And if it wasn't for this glass eye of mine, Why I'd shed a happy tear To think of what you're gonna get By bein' a winner. I got ar-thur-it-ic elbows, I've got dislocated knees, From pickin' fights with thunderstorms And chargin' into trees. And my nose been broke so often I might lose it if I sneeze. Son, you still say you want to Be a winner? Well, you remind me a lot of my younger days With your knuckles clenchin' white, But boy, I'm gonna sit right here And sip this beer all night. And if you've got something to gain or prove By winnin' some silly fight, Well OK. I quit. I lose. You're the winner." I stumbled from that barroom Not so tall and not so proud; And behind me I still hear the hoots And hollers of the crowd. But my nose still works and my eyes still see And my teeth are still in my mouth And, you know, I guess that makes me The winner! note: This is a folk-processed, shortened version. See WINNR2 for original. @fight Copyright Shel Silverstein filename[ WINNR RG |
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