John was the writer tell me
who was John
                                  Brother
John was the writer (Calling
                            Hey John!
         Ho John!)
in words of fire (Well,
John don’t you write no more;
don’t you write no more).

Eternal City, Rome is
fallen stone
                      standing
Eternal City, struck to
                      white flame,
        bold flame;
the blazing houses all
Glory Hallelujah cry‚
Hallelujah cry.

All those angels
                       Stoned in thunder,
Snow white angels
                       Brought to ruin,
Son of David
                       Done gone under.
Son of man:

That pen of fire moving
on to Köln
                      rocking
church and the city (Shouting
                      Ho John,
Rome town):

a shell-fire image, those
brought to ruin houses (no more,
don’t you write no more!)
Well now, they tell me Kölner
rock ran cold
                       Jesus
down by the river; digging
                       ground down