What's the Matter Here?

That young boy without a name
 Anywhere I'd know his face
 In this city the kid's my favorite
 I've seen him, I've seen a
 I see him every day
 Seen him run outside
 Looking for a place to hide
 From his father
 The kid half naked
 And said to myself
 "Oh, what's the matter here?
 I'm tired of the excuses
 Everybody uses
 He's their kid
 I stay out of it
 But who gave you the right
 To do this?
 We live on Morgan Street
 Just ten feet between
 And his mother, I never see her
 But her screams and cussing
 I hear them every day
 Threats like
 If you don't mind
 I will beat on your behind
 Slap you, slap you silly
 Made me say
 "Oh, what's the matter here?
 I'm tired of the excuses
 Everybody uses
 He's your kid
 Do as you see fit
 But get this through
 That I don't approve
 Of what you did
 To your own flesh and blood
 I have heard the excuses
 Everybody uses
 He's your kid
 Do as you see fit
 But get this through
 That I don't approve
 Of what you did
 To your own flesh and blood
 If you don't sit
 In your chair straight
 I'll take this belt
 From around my waist
 And don't you think
 That I won't use it
 Answer me and take your time
 What could be the awful crime
 He could do at so young an age?
 If I'm the only witness to your madness
 Offer me some words to balance
 Out what I see and what I hear
 All these cold and rude
 Things that you do
 I suppose you do
 Because he belongs to you
 And instead of love
 And the feel of warmth
 You've given him these cuts
 And sores that don't heal with time or his age
 And I want to say, "Hi"
 Want to say
 "What's the matter here?"
 But I don't dare say
 "What's the matter here?"
 But I don't dare say