the corner's turned

name the words and you've lost nothing
the banner and the labels will suffice
showing you've truly cast the dice
fortune herself will do the needful thing
not our task now to worry but to bring
the product out of the disguising ice
to speak the value and to set the price
to all the world our challenge do we fling
never before have we had such success
the measure of our power is not small
but here we come to ask what it is for
the ends of action we find in process
our servant concepts answer when we call
this is the limit there is nothing more

new season new life

silvery light dawns
february will be warm
snow in far places

we begin a new
nest like birds in early spring
trees in the sunset

morning's too early
but winter vanishes now
season is turning

even in this place
where now i make my dwelling
the calm has rewards

while in my office
i hear the birds of morning
life never silent

others too hear them
the common voice of springtime
heralding the green

looking outside

everywhere around we see first signs of spring
buds on the branches white and pinkish blooms
so now this day all life seems to be blossoming

outside my window more birds seem to sing
there's now an end to winter and its glooms
everywhere around we see first signs of spring

through half-open blinds i see the flash of wing
we've had enough of laws and rules and dooms
so now this day all life seems to be blossoming

what sorrows we have here are only those we bring
far away the sounds of traffic and its fumes
everywhere around we see first signs of spring

we fear that winter still may keep some sting
in its reserve only for a moment this fear looms
so now this day all life seems to be blossoming

the time has come for life to rise and do its thing
the season's one for new hoping and new brooms
everywhere around we see first signs of spring
so now this day all life seems to be blossoming

remembering music

the rules of life and music make most sense
when we're in awe of the orchestral sound
the motions of the the players seem profound
the layers of the tune are rich and dense
and yet we're on the wrong side of the fence
we're on a dim and misty foreign ground
where conscious echoes provide the surround
the whole experience is warm and intense
in memory now the echoes faintly form
light on the trees reminds me of the tone
in my minds eye the picture takes its shape
the thought's enough to keep a body warm
the sound has sunk in to the very bone
and as i sit my mind unreels the tape

coming up on four years

george's mind won't open a crack
to common sense he turns his back
we're in for a ride
because of his pride
so we'll all be long stuck in iraq

now he's not got much sense or wit
an idea into his mind won't fit
but he will endure
for his mind is pure
and there's no smell at all to his shit

there's thousands of wounded and dead
the veterans their dignity shred
but having to beg
while lacking one leg
that idea won't fit in george's head

now most of us have the good luck
to be far from the mire and the muck
far from war's noise
george is keeping his poise
and for the dead he just doesn't give a fuck

annotations

there's time enough for all the things we dare
what magics we find are not hard to trace
their presence lingers in the morning air

not where we wanted but with time to spare
we've occupied what's not infinite space
there's time enough for all the things we dare

the messages that come tell us we're square
with those who want to redefine the case
their presence lingers in the morning air

the difference between truth and lie's a hair
or so say those whose merit is disgrace
there's time enough for all the things we dare

what's left of civil justice seems to be a smear
some traces here our hearts need to replace
their presence lingers in the morning air

all that's left of honour and equity we'll share
with those who show to us a human face
there's time enough for all the things we dare
their presence lingers in the morning air