no stolen names

we hide the pictures for we fear the faces
and what they seem to say about our hope
we wonder what they've done in other places

horses have broken loose from their traces
and run wild here while we still have no rope
we hide the pictures for we fear the faces

we've lost our money betting on those races
we want the horse to run but now we see it lope
we wonder what they've done in other places

each person here their great desire embraces
except for those who sit on the side and mope
we hide the pictures for we fear the faces

what matters now is how we solve these cases
not one here with their beloved will elope
we wonder what they've done in other places

the answer may not lie now with the graces
our knowledge soon will give us greater scope
we hide the pictures for we fear the faces
we wonder what they've done in other places

what it really means

the sound of silver may be sweet to some
that tinkle touches off their truest taste
but we will not consider that all a waste
for we know of the things that are to come
we've delved deeply drowning out the drum
the powers perhaps have perpetually placed
what hardly happens but when done in haste
the solemn summoning that makes the sum
of all that passes in the fresh-made life
of every youth who thinks that he's so new
that none has ever felt such things before
until they learn out of the long-fought strife
that changes each of us and makes the view
of all we know both less that true and more
and gives us finally a true sense of all of life

thinking of my mother

the world is become small so i send flowers
through the internet to a far distant place
knowing that the limits of both time and space
are overcome by the use of simple powers
and in not many days and some more hours
i hope to bring joy to my mother's face
a plain desire that from the long human race
to do and make and never just to be
we can take time to breathe even to think
and let the kind thought become kind deed
distance disappears and we can hear and see
what matters to us we can take a drink
and share it with those distant now at need

a needed adjustment

the smallest measure is the one to trust
nothing exceeds the limits of our care
we'll mete out proper quantity till we are dust

the world we have will not too soon combust
there's no phlogiston lurking in our air
the smallest measure is the one to trust

the ends of profit still promote disgust
we want a world that's honest and that's fair
we'll mete out proper quantity till we are dust

the breeze today is even no sharp sudden gust
will overturn the carefully placed chair
the smallest measure is the one to trust

our feet have trodden lightly on earth's crust
but through the law we've driven coach and pair
we'll mete out proper quantity till we are dust

the gold that we desire will one day rust
we should have learned to divide up and share
the smallest measure is the one to trust
we'll mete out proper quantity till we are dust

a wheel is not a circle

the door closes no matter what we say
the house is shut for longer than a year
whatever's done has its own proper care
the process is the answer and the way
each of us actors is our own small play
the explanation's not one we call fair
but what we know will soon appear
to be the truth and that will be its day
all things happen in due and proper season
we cannot rush the process from desire
of satisfying our most hidden dreams
each of us commits some private treason
we cast our young ambitions in the fire
and then forget them all or so it seems

what the wise never know

the truest gold is not the one that shines
what's best may not be always sharp nor loud
skill mixed with sapience is what best refines

what once required a long stint in the mines
will now cover all those who are not proud
the truest gold is not the one that shines

they pay the price in prison time or fines
but leave before they earn themselves a shroud
skill mixed with sapience is what best refines

those who succeed won't draw within the lines
the field they rule is not the one they ploughed
the truest gold is not the one that shines

we'll wait for sunset here to gild the pines
this keeps us just ahead of all the crowd
skill mixed with sapience is what best refines

those who find the way will quaff those wines
that are devoted to the ones who vowed
the truest gold is not the one that shines
skill mixed with sapience is what best refines