no long time

 those are the angles at which light appears
you wait for time to tell which will mean more
for the last reveller to close the door

the meaning is not known through all the tears
and was not told to us by you before
those are the angles at which light appears

so each one waits and waits all the long years
and what was pleasure slowly turns to chore
until the thing's worn right down to the core
those are the angles at which light appears

pole to pole

your feet have fallen through the larger hole
made by the force of years of steady rain
day after day it goes from pole to pole

not one to understand the higher goal
but eager all the same for greater gain
your feet have fallen through the larger hole

you alone know just what it was you stole
but others cannot understand it plain
day after day it goes from pole to pole

thinner the meaning that we could control
but thicker than the warning in the main
your feet have fallen through the larger hole

not one to think it might have turned out droll
yet happy that there was no ugly stain
day after day it goes from pole to pole

we left our boat wrecked on the final shoal
and took the path that we could ascertain
your feet have fallen through the larger hole
day after day it goes from pole to pole
 

resurrection

 we let the flame take in the dying bird
and watch the ashes stir and phoenix rise
the whole thing does not draw from us a word

the centuries of waiting all are blurred
each time it happens it is a surprise
we let the flame take in the dying bird

the cost of immortality incurred
all proper calculation still defies
the whole thing does not draw from us a word

we had for long paused delayed even deferred
until the message was clear in the skies
we let the flame take in the dying bird

a staring cat might have just stretched and purred
who knew the facts and told them now denies
the whole thing does not draw from us a word

this is the truth that all good folk have heard
never to hate and not once to despise
we let the flame take in the dying bird
the whole thing does not draw from us a word

the vocal ones

 

those who give voice to their unreasoned hate
have not the chance to see the changing day
we know too well the angry things they say

it's not enough to sit and watch and wait
while all the foolish keep on at their play
those who give voice to their unreasoned hate

the wise no longer guard the broken gate
nor are there signs upon the open way
there's not one thing you do that could delay
those who give voice to their unreasoned hate

kingdom of the angry sheep

this is the kingdom of the angry sheep
where no one has a choice about the rant
and many promises are still to keep
a sage could pause before he must incant
and let the process of itself enchant
the ones who needed most to feel such ire
as would make even the most bold inquire
regarding just why we needed such a rule
or how pressure could go even higher
the one who finds the answer's not a fool

the truth of power goes not very deep
and turns out to be a most shallow plant
yet is not something that we can get cheap
its makings are not things we just decant
upon a fertile ground there is no cant
only for chanting on guitar or lyre
to which the simplest stripling might aspire
it takes much more than just going to school
we have to struggle hard out of the mire
the one who finds the answer's not a fool

all of our efforts end up on the heap
as victims of the termite and the ant
and nothing's bettered by some hours of sleep
nor is there anything we might recant
or any older mode we could supplant
these failings mark the end of all desire
no different for the seller or the buyer
we load the backs of every willing mule
it does not even moan or once perspire
the one who finds the answer's not a fool

prince you'll discover right across the fire
that there's no difference save in the attire
matters take little time to reach their cool
and you learn swiftly just what we require
the one who finds the answer's not a fool