life on trust

there are so many words that fall to dust
the silences where love has gone to die
we've come to take too little life on trust

we do those things that we have not discussed
hours weigh and drag the soul itself is dry
there are so many words that fall to dust

we claim the whole thing's failure to adjust
to what we find out is just passing by
we've come to take too little life on trust

there is no living soil beneath the crust
what has been sold no one will think to buy
there are so many words that fall to dust

no action happens just because it must
we do not think that bird has cause to fly
we've come to take too little life on trust

the one who rules may think that he is just
but all the rest will know that's just a lie
there are so many words that fall to dust
we've come to take too little life on trust

only inches deep

shock is when ocean's only inches deep
when mighty rivers turn out to be rills
the himalayas just some bumps and hills
each mighty hero just another creep
what we have given turns out to be cheap
compared to what we see on others' bills
we find that what was written in their wills
was never final we have gone to sleep
the giant turns out to have been a child
and mighty struggles no more than a game
what we thought mighty forest is just park
nothing is left that's disordered and wild
the universe is now fenced-in and tame
and nothing's left we could call truly dark

no honour left

 

words well inscribed upon the sacred scroll
names of the wise names that are best forgot
there is no honour left upon the roll

time does its job and terror takes its toll
no one can stay long rooted on one spot
words well inscribed upon the sacred scroll

to find the answer one must take a poll
and send one one who has been picked by lot
there is no honour left upon the roll

behold the man who thought he could control
the surging tide because he'd paid his scot
words well inscribed upon the sacred scroll

no one regards the dancer on the pole
who leans over the rail and ties the knot
there is no honour left upon the roll

given the choice no one would make the roll
but curl up tightly on each tiny cot
words well inscribed upon the sacred scroll
there is no honour left upon the roll

name all the stars

name all the stars and watch the heavens fill
with meanings we impose from down below
words add to words and so we claim to know
by name on name that neither luck nor skill
explains each hap nothing that we distill
from sensuous knowledge moving fast or slow
is just its seeming the world is simple show
each scene dissolving without act of will
there are so many motions none can say
which ones might matter at the proper time
only that from the changes none can hide
there is through nature but a single way
only one bell that rings a simple chime
and every journey takes a single day

when virtues fail

 when virtues fail we blame the weary heart
not knowing how to tell the false from true
we cannot mark the honest from the art

at action's end you cease to play your part
and swiftly pass from ordinary view
when virtues fail we blame the weary heart

the premises were flawed from very start
nothing we saw was what we thought we knew
we cannot mark the honest from the art

shams pain us but they've something to impart
when all is finished we'll know how to rue
when virtues fail we blame the weary heart

regardless of what's written on the chart
we dare not bid the wretched scene adieu
we cannot mark the honest from the art

we are so stupid and we think we're smart
the lightning bolt does not strike from the blue
when virtues fail we blame the weary heart
we cannot mark the honest from the art