Monday, December 7, 2020

the ribbon




as i was walking down the lane
i met a man from peru and a lady from spain
they accosted me in a civilized manner
and asked me what was inscribed on my banner

i wore a ribbon across my chest
upholding the measures i thought best
to improve the values of civilization
in every human tribe and nation

your sentiments do you credit, sir
the man from peru with a smile averred
do you find they meet with wide approval?
my name by the way, is conrad duval

mime is john smith, i replied
my knowledge of the world is wide
with it now succinctly distilled
my destiny is fulfilled

that destiny is to spread
the truth to the living and the dead
to solace those who endlessly weep
and awaken those who endlessly sleep

those who find me naively mystical
and perhaps a bit egotistical
may be assured i will never rest
and will always do my best

i awoke to a cold dawn
and realized my hearers were gone
and the man from peru and the lady from spain
were only the wind and the rain




Sunday, December 6, 2020

on a summer day





as i was dozing peacefully
on a lazy summer day
st peter pulled up in a pumpkin
and asked me to cleveland the way

i do not know about cleveland
i answered with a shrug
chicago is just down the road apiece
but is filled with ugly mugs

i know nothing about chicago
the saint cried with alarm
but i must find lawyer jefferson
because pa has sold the farm

pa has sold the farm, he repeated
and a tear fell from his eye
where st augustine and i were lads
in the sweet bye and bye

that is unfortunate, i told him
and managed not to grin
but such things happen every day
in this fallen world of sin

i wish i had a drink, he sighed
of whiskey, beer, or gin
his white beard waved as he pulled away
and i never saw him again




Saturday, December 5, 2020

every day is the end





you may not like it but it’s true
i am a person just like you
i am the greatest of all time
so please throw me a lousy dime

i vowed to conquer like alexander
but my dreams were so much grander
i had one mission from my birth
and that was to bring peace on earth

at first my path was rough and stormy
nobody had any time for me
no one cared what i had to say
and went on their merry way

but i perservered
i grew a long black beard
my eyes flashed fire and ice
and i stopped playing nice

where to begin?
the world was filled with sin
eyes were glazed, and hearts were cold
armageddon had grown old

i would sand on the corner and shout
but the street tuned me out
my feet got flat and my beard got gray
and not a passerby looked my way

i sat in my little room
and decided to change my tune
of all men i would be least
and preach forgiveness and peace

i stopped speaking and held a sign
simply announcing the end of time
i lost my menacing frown
my blood pressure went down

the present future and past
were none of them built to last
wanderer, take note
we are all sinking in the same boat

you may mot like it but it’s true
i am a dreamer just like you
if you pass me by some time
throw me a lousy dime