Saint Paul said to Saint Stephen Well I guess that makes us even As Stephen wiped the rubble off his brow And Stephen said to Paul You've seen one you've seen 'em all I hope that we can laugh about it now And Henry said to Becket I don't know what you expected Even God said render Caesar what is his Said Becket to the king That won't amount to anything If you can't recognize just what it is You don't know how it will break from where it bends Just don't mistake the middle for the end And Flannery O'Connor She couldn't summon up the honor To sit and face James Baldwin in the South She knew the Truth was something more Than what she had a stomach for Or a misfit's kind of grace to sort it out A calm came over sister Saint Theresa Benedicta Praying in a train car heading east For Love's lasting mediation In our reconciliation That could swallow all creation in its breach You don't know how it will break from where it bends Just don't mistake the middle for the end You don't know how it will break from where it bends Just don't mistake the middle for the end What you give and what you take, it all depends But, but just don't mistake, don't mistake, the middle for the end Don't mistake the middle for, don't mistake the middle for the end