I was walking down a Dublin street one morning
Before the Sun had roused the breeze to shake the flags
I looked at all those people asleep in drafty doorways
Keeping warm beneath old castoff rags

Well, now is the time to look around
And face the problems in our town
Now's the time to understand the need we've always known
Now's the time to face it, we fight for far-off places
Yet we fail to wage a war on want at home

I was strolling down a Dublin lane one evening
Just as the dust was casting shadows on the sea
And there I met an old man, he cried as I was leaving
Spare ten pence, son, for a cup of tea

I was travelling down through Dublin late one Friday
I watched the Moon shine ghostly pale through crumbling halls
And children drinking cider along the public highway
Were scrawling grimy words on grimy walls

Well, now is the time to look around
And face the problems in our town
Now's the time to understand the need we've always known
Now's the time to face it, we fight for far-off places
Yet we fail to wage a war on want at home

I was kneeling in a Dublin church one Sunday
And we heard the Third World's problems in their scores
How can we help these people? We never can 'til one day
We put right this Second World of ours

Well, now is the time to look around
And face the problems in our town
Now's the time to understand the need we've always known
Now's the time to face it, we fight for far-off places
Yet we fail to wage a war on want at home