There’s war out here in these streets
The physical city pulses & seethes
Tamped down by hate of denizens
Facts challenging all that we believe
All of society calling for our attention
While our infrastructure remains unstable
Tragedy & crisis revealed every morning
But I still need to put food on the table
Don’t forget to repeat our truth in unison Stand up straight with proper military bearing Forget your conscience; such things are done Keep on moving toward the triumph of the daring
Unfurl the banners so that we might recite Let the people know what we’re fighting for Light the fires, so the boys may march by night Let them live out their dreams in the glories of war
Remain focused- don’t live within your heads For the battle is real, so is the carnage by the blade You need to stay loyal or your sons will wind up dead Listen to the drums, forget the thoughts we’ve forbade
This existence is painful, but hell will be hotter Don’t return with blood soaked memories to spurn Live up to the fullest; embrace the full-bodied slaughter Raise your swords to the sky & let the traitors burn
Wish goodbye to frumpy politicians & their senile glances Robber baron approach to public service After we gave them too many chances
I don’t care for your foreign correspondents Time to stay home & let the meek be the victors War machines don’t benefit those who march Deceit & impropriety measured upon the Richter’s
I don’t understand disdain for fellow humans I don’t care if you worship in a synagogue or under a steeple In the end, we’re all God’s children Here on Earth, we must remember it’s We The People
The winds foretell the secrets to come & that there are no innocents after the war Footprints left in the muddy ground Muted whispers we were never waiting for
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Thought it to be an easy read Yet the words were hard to digest Meaning dancing slowly in my mind Subtly creeping past the singular rest
Retracing lines to navigate ritual Where do we reform elegant words Removed from obvious transparency Heaped among the notorious & absurd
But we can still be returned to normal Reassembled without any scars of the war Truth absolved of the fictions we wrote Back to the pages I quietly implore
Dissidents wishing for anarchy Amid the noise at the city’s edge Marching toward the inevitable With blinders afixed & a solemn pledge
Roustabouts & preachers agreeing before light Yet the jury will always cry out for more Cannot tolerate the president’s folly The juxtaposition of hippies going to war
Telling stories after dark Occasionally with Tom Waits in the lead Fantastical little allegories Bringing a light to those souls in need
No need to whisper in the shadows Luminous words to prepare the way Removing barriers to our enlightenment Witticisms fleshed out & on display
Short tales to get creative juices flowing Harking back to dreams that we might meet Subtle differences between the pauses Allowing our imaginations to properly greet
Scenes from our own round table Foreplay within our cheeky banter Conjuring visions of a keen passion Diluted memories at the bottom of our decanter
Bad behavior leads to a more examined life Though through fiction we can live eternal A little more sensitive than you want to believe Yearning to be held by a beautiful dame so maternal
Out here with our hearts raised to the sky Searching for better answers on the midnight shore With the freedom to imagine wisdom laid bare Parsed theories for when we sent them off to war
Subtle manipulation within our romantic esthetics Unreliable narrators marching; our literary brigade There’s no vernacular for hearts’ folly Pushing forth our gentle notion love might persuade
In the end, dear friends, our parable is contrite In this heinous world, we all have a simple choice I lay myself to slumber, a fatigued sailor Wishing for a lullaby coming from Nick Cave’s voice
Where are our notions of excellence
Who was it who decided upon the benchmark
I’m not concerned with the notches in your belt
Nor the inferiority you felt after dark
We need to find a solution within this realm
To expel those who feed off society’s blues
To exterminate the politicians & profiteers
Our war, our blood & our catastrophic fate
By day, you’re out fighting wars Wherever politicians decide you need to roam Diplomacy by air, land & sea & the lucky ones get to return home
But your training doesn’t include this Unsure how exactly to be a regular guy Babies & tiaras & unicorns bebopping around How to explain a child’s smile can make you cry
Captain Q 