The Manganese Man
Patrick Cannell & Neill Raftery © 2017
Down below the steelworks, where the slag heap reaches high,
There lurks a solemn creature with broken glass for eyes.
His heart is made of manganese and his legs are made of clay.
The ragged urchins fear him and always run away.
Then one small ragged urchin approached him with a smile.
She said, "Come and play football, we'll be here for a while."
He just wants to play games with you.
He just wants to have fun like you.
He just wants to be happy too.
The manganese man was hopeful but then he felt afraid,
"The others will not like me, my sadness is too great."
He turned and left the urchin, he cursed all fun and games,
He walked up to the furnace and stepped into the flames.
He just wants to play games with you.
He just wants to have fun like you.
He just wants to be happy too.
And it's such a shame.
It's such a crying shame.
He's a manganese man.