He drinks a cup of coffee 
And way before the sun he's up and going
Out on a work detail 'cause he knows soon 
The morning whistle will begin to blowing
All day out in that hot sun 
With no reward for any work he'll do
And then he'll come back in the evening
And dreams a lot of dreams that can't come true

This is the life of a prisoner 
Forgotten man that's there to stay
He lives on faith and hope and courage 
And a few old dreams of yesterday

Well, no one cares about him 
Or it seems at way to him as time goes by
One day is like the other 
And every time he prays, he prays to die
He's been there for so long now 
He wouldn't know how to talk to men outside
And though it's the life he lives for 
He fears the day the gates swing open wide

This is the life of a prisoner 
Forgotten man that's there to stay
He lives on faith and hope and courage 
And a few old dreams of yesterday

He lives on faith and hope and courage 
And a few old dreams of yesterday