Heavy darkness, half past ten.
I'm walking home from work again.
Did I hear footsteps softly creeping?
Turn my head, car alarm's beeping.
I see visions of my body in a bag
With a tag.
Was it the sound of violence?

Through shadowed streets I walk alone.
Local winos getting stoned.
Brazen hooker hugs a street lamp.
A homeless vagrant sleeps upon a ramp.
Will my back be stabbed by the slash of a switchblade knife
That ends my life
Because of greed and violence?

Then on the brownstone steps I see
Ten thousand hoodlums--maybe three!
Hoodlums talking about hitting!
Hoodlums talking about kicking!
Hoodlums shouting "Yo!" and "Shove it up your rear!"
Could those jeers
Turn into sounds of violence?

9-1-1 I want to call!
Terror like a shadow falls!
Watch that drifter--he might grab you!
Watch that biker--he might nab you!
A new noise like padded footsteps fell!
(Scared as hell!)
No! Listen--here it comes--the violence!

As I ran I wished and prayed
That the noise would go away,
And a crash gave out its warning!
Braced myself--knew what was coming!
And the bang! and the roll of a garbage can
Scared away an alley cat
Who ran pitter-pat!
Well! So much for the sounds of violence.