theory versus fact

a shadow creeps across the noontime earth
rain has been promised but may never come
a million entities must bring to birth
a shadow creeps across the noontime earth

not one who's here that feels the urge to mirth
nor wants to dance to sound of flute and drum
a shadow creeps across the noontime earth
rain has been promised but may never come

what's there to come

the ground cries out for rain to bring the green
a storm's great power speaks to each human heart
no miracles may hide in the unseen

each face looks back to what they hoped had been
and watches as the swift birds dance and dart
the ground cries out for rain to bring the green

against the wall we sigh and easy lean
nothing seems easy when you have to start
no miracles may hide in the unseen

this plant that grows from just a single bean
will in time bring a huge crop to the mart
the ground cries out for rain to bring the green

we wonder if when aged we'll be as keen
as once we were and if we'll be as smart
no miracles may hide in the unseen

there's no chance to become a king or queen
all we can do depends on our own art
the ground cries out for rain to bring the green
no miracles may hide in the unseen

far out

darker than any sort of normal night
there is no place where we can see the stars
nor even fireflies blinking in our jars

what's seen requires another sort of sight
the world is kept from us by steely bars
darker than any sort of normal night

birds pause and hesitate in urgent flight
the worst of men are hiding out in bars
others are fleeing in a million cars
darker than any sort of normal night

the world's a stage

these actors troop into the prepared hall
the play that we will see is very old
a little time to smile then we'll grow old
not long until the final curtain-call
and then no critic and no actors' ball
no mention of all that was bought and sold
we know the story just as it was told
but sit in silence behind the fourth wall
taken together we are something large
beyond what each of us has thought to bring
the game we play is for each other's eyes
memory of cleopatra on her barge
or any thought of conscience in the king
but will recall that first joyous surprise

summer in atlanta

plants do the healing
no effort of ours needed
cleansing summer air

sworn testimony

stories are told and every one's a lie
there's nothing waiting on the other side
not one reward to satisfy our pride

no comfort reaches from beyond the sky
hope's not renewed by changing of the tide
stories are told and every one's a lie

perhaps we will learn better by and by
not bother when we're offered a new ride
refuse to run and more refuse to hide
stories are told and every one's a lie

what it's about

all that requires a vision gives us hope
its absence tears our hearts to bloody shreds
we watch the ball go rolling down the slope
all that requires a vision gives us hope

time we believe is longer than a rope
we have no right to cower under beds
all that requires a vision gives us hope
its absence tears our hearts to bloody shreds

est-il permis?

never withheld nor yet too freely lent
we ask our masters to grant us one boon
allowing us to dance beneath the moon
before we are to meaner tasks on sent
the one who bids us toil is no kind gent
we find ourselves reaching old age too soon
with sun still hardly fallen from the noon
the hands are weak and the back is long bent
now what we want is not within your gift
but still we have to beg and wail and plead
in hope that miracles may still occur
between our worlds there's a gigantic rift
hardly a one may pass between at need
and ever closer comes the final whirr

suburban summer night

above us wheel the silent watching stars
their beauty is as cold as ancient ice
the absence of a voice seems like a vice

no sound of fear or rage the clear night mars
the clarity of quiet's plain and precise
above us wheel the silent watching stars

we watch as in the distance the last cars
creep to their homes as diffident as mice
no shocks no miracles of rare device
above us wheel the silent watching stars

an end of exploring

hold this in heart there's an abiding place
but not where any hearer might expect
we won't see calm in any normal face
hold this in heart there's an abiding place

inside each head there is sufficient space
for empires which the hostile would reject
hold this in heart there's an abiding place
but not where any hearer might expect