1. |
The Whole Caboose
04:35
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standin in the field of being watchin stuff arise
that little text ping, the neighbor's dog, clouds drift across the sky
here was an eclipse an hour ago the moon right in front of the sun
darkened the day while wildlife lay confused and wondering
a cup of coffee steamin near a dove silhouetted high in a tree
seems like somethin happened to mark this day for me
a singular pleadin an outrageous claim
that it's all all special from frozen north to distant flame
they/we stand in the field of being today shinin like yon torch
no one above all above all equal emerging from mysterious source
nothin in the middle nothin on the outside
all around nothin no where is not in sight
nothin nothin nothin but the whole caboose
nothin nothin nothin but the whole caboose
standin in the field of being everything so alive
that Carolina Wren a calico kitty a jetful of people on the fly
the hedge might need a clippin but I'll let it go
might get to it when come spring
preoccupied now tryin to figure out how
to be part of that stillness thing
a cup of coffee steamin near a dove silhouetted high in a tree
seems like somethin happened to mark this day for me
a singular pleadin an outrageous claim
that it's all al special from frozen north to distant flame
they/we stand in the field of being today shinin like yon torch
no one above all above all equal emerging from mysterious source
nothin in the middle nothin on the outside
all around nothin no where is not in sight
nothin nothin nothin but the whole caboose
nothin nothin nothin but the whole caboose
nothin in the middle nothin on the outside
all around nothin no where is not in sight
nothin nothin nothin but the whole caboose
nothin nothin nothin but the whole caboose
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2. |
Happenin Again Again
04:32
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when I heard my name comin out of the wood
might a been a grizzly in the neighborhood
didn't wanna hang around to answer that call
sides I had a meetup at the wailing wall
it was getting dark couldn't see too well
flagged myself a taxi to a sounding bell
kind of like a church bell but it seemed early
wasn't even Sunday but eternity
nudged me with its fingers of cold warm ice
suggested I was standin still in paradise
it often comes to me when I am feelin old
that time is an illusion and I'm in the fold
where everything has happened and it's happening again (3x)
2.
when I heard my name comin out of the swamp
might a been a gator or a do se do stomp
didn't wanna venture in that mud and deep
needed to be tending to my need to sleep
the telephone was ringin disturbing shrill
hard to keep focused hard to keep myself still
maybe I was dreamin under my quilt
maybe my sobriety was takin a tilt
nudged me with its fingers of cold warm ice
suggested I was standin still in paradise
it often comes to me when I am feelin old
that time is an illusion and I'm in the fold
where everything has happened and it's happening again (3x)
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3. |
Seeds of Peace
03:37
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in the dawn of pre-history the bang banged out
beginning the story laying down the route
from the tiny amoeba to the mastodon
and the saber tooth tiger wherever she roamed
bands of apes and maybe chimpanzees
swingin in the branches of the jungle trees
something developed and kept it up
before we knew it we were standin up
she wouldn't have said she was born and bred
where the bricks and bread and the beds were red
she is sure to be just as pleased as me
when the balmy breeze blows the seeds of peace our way
2.
we built us a hut and built a fortress
raised us an army endured the rest
put down the women and made some slaves
conquered the other and rode the waves
clear across the sea to claim some land
hustle some gold if it killed some man
convert the survivors to a story book
and force it down on'em so they cannot look
at who is to benefit and who is to rule
we'll teach'em not to question in a standard school
she wouldn't have said she was born and bred
where the bricks and bread and the beds were red
she is sure to be just as pleased as me
when the balmy breeze blows the seeds of peace our way
we broke us away from the king and them
put ourselves in with the merchants instead
and that grew up to be capitalism
and got resisted by a twisted marxism
and both ideas seemed to serve their adherents
but not the people caught in the system
but some of the ones who had time to consider
had another idea maybe even weirder
that hunger can end and inequality
and peace among us is somethin we can be
she wouldn't have said she was born and bred
where the bricks and bread and the beds were red
she is sure to be just as pleased as me
when the balmy breeze blows the seeds of peace our way
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4. |
I know Not
05:15
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I'm not a rock I won't last long in geological time
what is that expression I know not I know not
is it now now no time to regret have we not now no time for redress
I know not I know not
we could have when we had the leisure
healed the breach before the seizure
declined to accept earth life fever declined to freeze in nuclear winter
I know not I know not
I'm not a rock I won't last long in geological time
where from comes cyclic depression I know not I know not
parallel political repression I know not I know not
is it not now no time for fortress have we not now no time for success
I know not I know not
we might have had foresight to stand up
before the lords of war to yield not
declined to accept earth life fever declined to freeze in nuclear winter
I know not I know not
I'm not a rock I won't last long in geological time
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5. |
Split Down the Middle
04:22
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death is everywhere and so is life
it's split down the middle like a butcher's knife
maybe not middle cause there's way far more
far more of nothin than there was before
or maybe that's mistaken may be the other way
life is the rule brain's got nothin to say
and all these ideas on justice and greed
peace and war and what we think we need
stand as illusion or clumsy best guess
a misunderstanding of a perfect kind of stress
misarticulation throwin words around
grabbin received wisdom heritage propaganda bound
your summer is my winter your sunrise is my sunset
your afternoon my midnight your eastern is my west
2.
denial is common and so is certainty
arrogance speaks a mouth cannot see
maybe not knowing is a fashion state
maybe pretension is a matter of taste
or maybe that's mistaken may be the other way
life is the rule brain's got nothin to say
and when the instrument is tearin it up
doesn't seem like terror has come to sup
doesn't seem like hunger is on anyone
misarticulation throwin words around
grabbin received wisdom heritage propaganda bound
your summer is my winter your sunrise is my sunset
your afternoon my midnight your eastern is my west
3.
market time is social big market has a stench
bleeding at the orifice for such a disconnect
must be some other way to organize
ourselves as citizens of now of paradise
or maybe that's mistaken may be the other way
life is the rule brain's got nothin to say
a poem stands and sings it opens dialogue
a drawing of attention to what many may call god
hovering in the atmosphere tracked by calculus
transparent to the tutelage of one becalming trust
misarticulation throwin words around
grabbin received wisdom heritage propaganda bound
your summer is my winter your sunrise is my sunset
your afternoon my midnight your eastern is my west
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6. |
Ever Lock
01:15
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every bank is locked on patriarchy avenue
every heart is locked envaulted entombed
on patriarchy avenue only money
on patriarchy avenue bottom line avenue
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7. |
Across the Earth
04:05
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once a year we get cherry trees blossoming in ol' D.C.
and sausage-making in the capital makes me woozy for the people
one day we might get something neat
an end to pollution or some other treat
like taxes on the rich to help the poor a brilliant bill to end all war
hey we'll be dancin in the street brothers and sisters singin sweet
songs about sharing enough for all across the earth we'l hear that call
2.
after the dance there'll end conflict be resolved with our consent
no more hunger or suffering homeless now part of the family
I predict it happening or alternatively ending
civilization can't survive the patriarchal prison lie
hey we'll be dancin in the street brothers and sisters singin sweet
songs about sharing enough for all across the earth we'l hear that call
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8. |
Patriarchy
05:22
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he walks around covering his fear of death
with steaming diatribes on the liberal press
women like lazy blacks he says they're out of line uppity
demanding this and that and too much equality
we're not fooled we take the corn fed rat flag
wave it as our banner in the face of wimps and fags
won't take no insult won't take no wuppin
we'll keep our heritage and put them in the oven
our natural place is at the top we never stop
we rule as cop we throw no sop don't need no prop
2.
we work cuz work is what white men do
we go to church sunday we're not like you
we learn commandments set down by god
we promise you know we'll rule by the rod
our daughters and sons won't disobey
we don't allow no nuther nations no say
there'll be no more mixin of races or class
we honor the owner and he covers our ass
our natural place is at the top we never stop
we rule as cop we throw no sop don't need no prop
3.
private prisons and private schools
way way better than the golden rule
cause profit is the thing that makes you free
and privilege is earned by the worker bee
you got nothin comin but what you get
and what you get will make the weak upset
that's the way it's always been
separate the losers from we who win
our natural place is at the top we never stop
we rule as cop we throw no sop don't need no prop
4.
we're independent don't need no help
from any do-gooders just from our self
on our own let chips fall where they may
we'll be favored no matter what you say
we're the greatest nation and what makes us great
is natural superiority we don't hesitate
to bring out the guns see'em backin off
showin who's strong is showin who's boss
our natural place is at the top we never stop
we rule as cop we throw no sop don't need no prop
5.
all ya gotta do is watch fox news
that'll keep ya current how them commies and jews
infiltrate our churches our schools and towns
with those inferiors with skin too brown
sharia law ain't comin anywhere round here
we're americins lemme make that clear
put it in the bank english gotta press one
don't need no other foreign kinda tongue
our natural place is at the top we never stop
we rule as cop we throw no sop don't need no prop
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9. |
Stage Left
03:41
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why would anybody pay a penny for a thought
they've confiscated every other value that we bought
it's just a tiny matter of holding down the fort
you'll find it in the small print of the weekly month's report
and the sum of what was said the gist that was agreed
something will be transferred when it's shown what we will be
marvelous sun is setting to make the day complete
night will enter stage left if we still decide to meet
and if there's then a morning we will try to be asleep
as if it's something that requires a nose for the discrete
2.
we met our comrades on the field wanting to align
the markers with the edges playing out in dark tree line
nothing happened just at first but soon it all came down
the clouds just split and out it fell the center of the town
for what it's worth I stood my ground while others turned to flee
and what it has amounted to is not far short of free
marvelous sun is setting to make the day complete
night will enter stage left if we still decide to meet
and if there's then a morning we will try to be asleep
as if it's something that requires a nose for the discrete
3.
soon I know the district gate will close on those who're late
the method in their madness isn't lost on those who wait
in the distant hills where orchards lay in rows of savory fruit
the clouds beyond above and as before wet the astute
in fading light the carriage rides the ruts beside the fence
and all returns returns again repeats such discontent
marvelous sun is setting to make the day complete
night will enter stage left if we still decide to meet
and if there's then a morning we will try to be asleep
as if it's something that requires a nose for the discrete
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10. |
Negligible Narcossis
03:36
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I'm a planet in the blue a blossom on a tree
or any other circumstantial singularity
I'm a soldier in mid-step a bullet half en route
a partner an associate a lower lip in pout
an angel on the ferry a hayseed in the air
a movement in the harbor a tangle in the hair
the sun don't rise we turn with it into earth's dark shadow
justice it ain't blind it works for the influential
one thing to remember don't laugh don't walk in the path
of a frigid white cartwheeling cascaded avalanche
2.
I'm a tipper in the new momentary lounge
reeling from the dinner drinks and moody mellow sound
out on the prairie wintry summer fantasy
a native people lingering in somber legacy
and further west and north such stark dark wooded hills
hosting streams meandering fish no longer fill
the sun don't rise we turn with it into earth's dark shadow
justice it ain't blind it works for the influential
one thing to remember don't laugh don't walk in the path
of a frigid white cartwheeling cascaded avalanche
3.
I'm a Carley Simon super fan middle of the road
raging at the government for stacking high a load
explanations of innocence deceptive as a fake
works out for the doctrinaire but not for the awake
and with the wind that chills us coming off the moor
bending branches to breaking point knowing not what for
the sun don't rise we turn with it into earth's dark shadow
justice it ain't blind it works for the influential
one thing to remember don't laugh don't walk in the path
of a frigid white cartwheeling cascaded avalanche
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Thinkspeak Atlanta, Georgia
Tom Ferguson has been writing songs since 1969, all of which are collected in Songs, 1969-2018. It's coil-bound to nicely fit a music stand, available at lulu.com just search tom ferguson there.
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