when the new rose first came into fresh flower

and none dared crush the bloom beneath a hoof

we would have faced a certain harsh reproof

no long before but all changed in an hour

no one this day shall say they stood aloof

nor that the entire fabric warp and woof

had stayed the same new blossom in each bower

and none dared crush the bloom beneath a hoof

for fear of learning just how great the goof

would harm the doer dread would them devour

no one this day shall say they stood aloof

the acts are real we see that there's no spoof

of change or meaning the old world we scour

and none dared crush the bloom beneath a hoof

today we saw the crowds from every roof

acclaim as honour took the seat of power

no one this day shall say they stood aloof

and none dared crush the bloom beneath a hoof

for hawk-eyed seekers that's what we must know

to keep our minds still centred on the flow

of bodies moving with uncertain heft

from truth to fact like water from the snow

in this stark universe no secrets left

so what we find is that some sort of theft

has changed the weight of matters it is so

uncertain now and we are trapped below

in this stark universe no secrets left

we drew in childhood to ensure our play

had structure in the mind that they would stay

solidly longer than the infant pap

of other games would drift through every nap

shaping the dream out of imagined clay

to make a brightness greater than the day

when ordinary life was only crap

from word to vision the true path is clear

so that you take it with eyes truly cold

through the divisions of a world in strife

with all the forces that would shred and tear

your heart and spirit as you become old

reject them all and choose the better life

where all our senses ought to fail

the howling realm of shark and whale

exist dim hints of something more

another place on larger scale

far out beyond the eastern shore

what's there is easy to ignore

the oceans are too wide to sail

waters are deep winds loudly wail

far out beyond the eastern shore

of world everted by some horrid act

that frightens into childhood though the fact

is not so dangerous as to unlock

those charging monsters that good adults block

assuring you that though we've been attacked

the enemy will suffer the impact

and we will be as stalwart as the rock

the sounds of battle will not this day reach

our tender ears the voices urge stay calm

just go about your life and do your duty

yet they are silent those who ought to teach

the urgent lesson that there is no balm

to ease the pain and no way back to beauty

there's weight of dust and water in the air

all eyes are taken by the sudden green

the change of seasons never comes quite clean

but winter's going with one sort of care

now spring appears all verdant on the scene

to reassure us that the great machine

continues working now the signs are fair

all eyes are taken by the sudden green

the starting colours almost seem obscene

after the starkness yet we cannot fear

now spring appears all verdant on the scene

as roughnesses are covered by a screen

of leaves and blossoms and now we stare

all  eyes are taken by the sudden green

of trees and bushes that we had long seen

bare and asleep so now a new affair

now spring appears all verdant on the scene

all eyes are taken by the sudden green

then there are losses from the very start

that cannot be avoided by the art

or skill that teaches ease of horrid strife

although the world with pain and death is rife

we don't just throw the bodies on the cart

and pass on by each of us has some heart

yet still we know we must go under knife

no magic keeps us hidden from the fact

that life's a process with an ending point

and not some bird forever on the wing

this play must reach at last the closing act

the times must be put into proper joint

and winter come long after the bright spring

over the saddened earth to find true light

and not be blinded by the sudden sight

of the fair city rising from the dust

when once is passed the desert of distrust

and all have gone through the last sleepless night

cold lacking comfort knowing that the right

answer was coming that is human trust

each is ambassador to the new realm

where equal rulers crudely give reply

to those who cannot truly understand

the forces that will subtly overwhelm

the ragged armies of the ancient lie

and so bring justice to the angry land

you stupid lad who tells tales out of school

just say the word i'll break your fucking neck

you seemed to think that nobody would check

the things you said that everything was cool

call me a wimp and you will be a wreck

you'll be destroyed naught left no single speck

and all they'll note is you were one more tool

just say the word i'll break your fucking neck

don't think i won't don't think i give a heck

for who you are or all the lies you drool

call me a wimp and you will be a wreck

so now you're silent now you hit the deck

full up with fear you've figured out the rule

just say the word i'll break your fucking neck

you have to understand that not a fleck

of pity will you get since you're the fool

call me a wimp and you will be a wreck

just say the word i'll break your fucking neck

we've hit the boundary of human reach

out here in the republic of the dead

there's no necessity to get ahead

once we have heard the words of the last speech

all hearts are filled with horror and with dread

for this we struggled long to earn our bread

and bowed low as the vile old friars preach

out here in the republic of the dead

where are are equal in the weight of lead

but none will listen as the poor beseech

all hearts are filled with horror and with dread

at every sound that penetrates the head

while silent men walk up and down the beach

out here in the republic of the dead

where none dare speak and all the good are fled

and what we learnt no one could ever teach

all hearts are filled with horror and with dread

out here in the republic of the dead