Shades of gray

If you start here late, no one will know what you did
No, the streets are straight, it's the soul that's crooked
I've been treated fine, I've been treated elegantly
But I'm not one for bathing in the waters of plenty

East is East, West is West
And Bowery is screaming while Delancey rests
Well, I'm south of the skating, but I'm north of the cash
I could sure use the money, but I'm ashamed to ask

The traffic has buried all of last night's rain
The words are all different but the accent is the same

The sun is white, and the moon is gray
And the river is black, blue and green
The young are young, and the old are old
And there are no shades of gray in between

There's at least ten different strains of smoke in the air
And my prints are on them all, to prove I was there
And I love the curses, but I'm not one for the trenches
And I do love the walking, but thank god for the benches

It's hard to tell where green begins, and the city gray stops
I guess the trees all bought their armor at second hand shops
My second had is working, but the minute hand is broke again
I know time will pass, but I don't know when

The sun is white, and the moon is gray
And the river is black, blue and green
The young are young, and the old are old
And there are no shades of gray in between
And there are no shades of gray in between
I know the great ones have been here, but where I can't tell
There's dreams here a plenty, but they're being withheld
And I'm more impressed with the closed doors than the ones that are open
The whole place tells time by a tower clock that's broken

The pigeons are ravens, and the gulls are vultures
And trash is art, and cash is culture

The sun is white, and the moon is gray
And the river is black, blue and green
The young are young, and the old are old
And there are no shades of gray in between
There are no shades of gray in between
There are no shades of gray in between