CliffSongs

  Sorrowsong   I heard whispers on the spring breeze: A celebration beneath the trees. It was arriving as soon as soon, Under this spring’s fullest moon. The procession began late afternoon, And on the wind a nameless tune. I followed, wandered far from home, To spy this observe all alone.   And I sing my sorrowsong Beneath the smokestain moon. Of a world that may be gone, And is long past it’s noon. Still, I seek the fairy ring Once known on forest loam, And if I have to, I will sing And there will dance alone.     I trailed these animals both great and small, They gathered ‘neath trees stern and tall. Assembled in a faintly glowing ring, From the darkness I heard voices sing. Music as water cool and clean, Or visions of a world that might have been. I watched from cover lying prone, Though they were many, I was most alone.   Hear me sing my sorrowsong Beneath the smokestain moon. Of a world t...

  Erasure   Figures in the mountains where nobody lives, What guidance did these artworks once give? Blocks of stone transported miles, Arranged in purposed astronomical style. Civic projects erected by unknown race, Mammoth structures millennia in place. Their technology we cannot surmise, Ancient wonders that baffle the wise.   Lost knowledge we cannot bestow, What did they know and where did they go? So much of the past is gone – Misinterpret and move on.   Wars recorded between city states, Mythologically now we appreciate. Wonders written that are lost to time, Fables now or mere child’s rhyme. Cataclysms and horrors become fiction, Fears of what happened once are superstition. Heroes and villains known only by name, Legends only and no one to blame.   Lost knowledge we cannot bestow, What did they know and where did they go? So much of the past is gone – Misinterpret and move on.   Why is the...

  Circus and Clowns   Commander-in-Chief that can’t get it Strait, Won’t understand that they won’t take the bait. How did we ever become the lightweight? Will we or won’t we negotiate? How long will we claim we have a beatdown? How many officials’ noses are down in browntown? How long before the Navy sinks and drowns? What this circus needs is more clowns…   Rotate, misstate, spin and spin, Declare every new day another win. Bloviate, dictate, drool and grin, Let the voters take it on the chin. Rotate, misstate, spin and spin.   There are witches in Monterey they say, Another bootlick lucks into payday. Another toddler in line for war play, Completely untrained so anchors aweigh! See clown number one continue to fume. See him infect every newsroom. See the last adults save some from certain doom, See them keep the looney boy out of the room!   Conflate, frustrate, spin and spin. Make sure the donors never ta...

  Now Then   Now some crazy thing your attention snares, You can’t get away and it isn’t fair. Now someone else’s something electrifies the air, Now some new reality frizzes the hair.   Now is another day just full of fuzz, Hearing all about who does not and who does. Now something else is all the buzz, Now you have to care because.   Hearing the why, wherefore, and how, The noise that steady creases the brow, So much opinion through which to plow, Lost in the static of now.   The constant abrasion to the brain, The constant derision buried in false claim. The constant deflection as the treasuries drain, The constant direction to set the world to flame.   Now I keep hearing of peace through might. Now I keep hearing only the rich have rights. Now I keep hearing all the lies take flight – Now I have trouble sleeping at night.   Hearing the why, wherefore, and how, The noise that steady creases the ...

  Holistic Ballistic   The dog is on the rooftop, The barn under the owl. The band is playing shortstop, Behind a stolen towel.   Forty one and one to go, Do you display avowal? Lost and down and out you go, Can you use a stolen towel?   Round and round, See the Sound, Long before you run aground. Town to town, Fall dumbfound, In for a penny and gone outbound.   Tricky dickies slipping mickeys, The orchestrator calls a foul. Sticky quickies tricking prickies, Effected on a stolen towel.   Round and down, Outta town, Walk in sunlight all ungowned. Crooked crown, Clown and down, Miles to go and still unsound.   The dog is in the kitchen, The mouse relieves the owl. The band is playing nonstop, Do you have the towel?   Down and down, Here unfound, All of the voices are unsound. Round and round, Go to town, One bad penny and still outbound.   Round and down, O...

  Square Biz   It was just an ordinary day, When they cleared their throat to say: We have implemented a new frame: That way everything can look the same.   Don’t worry about all that creative stress, Just subtract all the uniqueness. That way you will pass every test, Once we begin deciding what is best.   Oatmeal, oatmeal, do you want a taste? What use is being unique –                                         (I am the round peg) If you don’t fit in, You are a waste. Dumbing down Is good for the mental health, Why bother to stand out?                                   ...

  Oldan Blue   Oldan Blue was nearly seventy, And he would play guitar for you. Oldan Blue is getting up there, And music was all he ever knew.   Oldan Blue was always travellin’ round, He would sit down anywhere to play. Oldan Blue would play his blues harp, And make the dark feel like day.   And the people would gather to him, To wash away their daily plight. And the children would then dance, And forget it was night.   Now Oldan Blue will play piano, Sounding like a chuckling stream. And Oldan Blue will play his trumpet, Dissipate fear into faded dream.   And the people gather to him, And fret not the tyrant’s fight. And the children get up and dance, And forget that it is night.   Oldan Blue is a drummer, He pounds out what he cannot say. Oldan Blue makes his music To chase the people’s cares away.   Oldan Blue plays in defiance Of the rich man’s miserly bite. And the children...

  The Mad   What false fog obscures the eye? Who can breathe that dirty brown? Burning fields rain ash into the sky. Deadly raptor roars overhead, From above explosive darts fly, On orders from the insane, Who call themselves the good guy.   In someone else’s sin we’re clad, Is he thinking about Using the launchpad? And when it all goes bad, Then will we realize We are the mad.   Aren’t you glad you get to work? Count your blessings in layers of soot: Dutiful progress do not shirk. Mother Earth gives her blood to burn, Moon and stars swim above the murk. We crawl the ground and brighter shine, While we bleed ourselves with blackened dirk.   In pursuit of greedy sin we’re clad, Are we thinking about What grime we add? And when it all goes bad Will we deny that We are the mad.   Look to nature for the contrast - Are we clever enough? Leaning into mistakes of the past. We lull ourselves in b...

  Dreaming Darkness   This cannot be real, We have fallen into a dream. This is not reality, Things are not what they seem. We have drifted away from the track, This is the wrong scheme. We are treading deep water, Have we lost our paddles to the stream?   What storyline is told By the sneering mouth full of lies? Are all of these minds so closed That they cannot pierce the disguise? Are they so driven to accept The promise of an unearned prize? Do they know where we’re headed, Are they hypnotized?   When the nightmare is over, Will the sun shine a darker hue? When the dark dream is ended, Will there be a dimmer view? When the ordeal is complete, Will the wages come due? Will we rise refreshed or, Will the sun shine a darker hue?   We are plunged into this darkened realm. I tire of this unreality. Dregs are risen from the bottom, We bow not to monstrous society. A trap built of hallucination: A ...

  Scars   They call him hero, But that doesn’t heal the scars. Memory is too near, so He only tells the stars. If he can ever get clear though, He might quit the bars, Where they call him hero, But never see the scars.   Ten years and a day since he went away, Volunteered to protect his land. He had hardly got in and the fighting began, Still he was proud to make his stand. The 12 hour flight, boots a bit too tight, His training tested weapon in his hand. But the intel went bad, and they knew they were had, And surviving became the new plan.   They call him hero, But that doesn’t heal the scars. Memory is too near, so He only tells the stars. If he can ever get clear though, He might quit the bars, Where they call him hero, But never see the scars.   The rockets were bursting all around, then the wheels hit the ground The bullets were flying before he got off the plane. He watched one, then two go dow...

  Another Fray   Another day dawns, another batch of skews. Another day of the medicated news. Another fray to obfuscate the views, Another fray to set the brains to snooze.   The winds of war blow behind their eyes, This isn’t noble: the unobtainable gold prize. Just read the news to learn whom to despise, Just more hate in religious disguise.   They move all their pawns, And we veer off the track, The days just crawl on, And I don’t want to look back. They tell us stay home While the war games are played, Our futures are blown… These are the bad old days.   Another day and the more twisted word, Another crisis for secrets to be obscured. Into the death spiral the faithful are lured, Only a thicker web of lies is assured.   The blameless are bled while the truth is held at bay. The fat stay well-fed while children are betrayed. The world’s population is the rich man’s buffet, Just an example of the ...

  The Chronicles of Emptyman   Emptyman, He knows he’s the hero of our times. Emptyman, Needs yet another shrine. Emptyman, Equipped with super flexible spine, Emptyman, Full of himself all the time.   Emptyman, Lives a life full of fail. Emptyman, Cannot let you hear the tale. Emptyman, They’re hot on his trail. Emptyman, Just one step ahead of the jail.   Emptyman, Coming in to Ruin the day For everyone else. Emptyman, Can never find Substance enough To find himself. Emptyman Grabbing up All the everything That never helps. Emptyman, Coming in to Ruin the day For everyone else.   Emptyman, Never said what he said. Emptyman, Spots on the record he cannot shed. Emptyman, So many wrong roads has he sped. Emptyman, In way over his head.   Emptyman, Never should have written the check. Emptyman, His every move we inspect. Emptyman, How much more can he wreck? ...

  The Brutal Peace   Today I had to rearrange my head, While he explains the schoolchildren dead. Did they hear waters of cooling calm? They only heard the sound of the falling bombs. How high up must you climb To make up a war to hide your crime? How many deaths to make them cease Warring away to a brutal peace?   This is the day and the night of the Beast. On the blood of innocents does he gladly feast. How many deaths until they cease? How long until they force us under the brutal peace?   A casualty of the incompetence curse, Can’t be best of the best, so he’ll take worst of the worst. A population he cannot control, Even with the civilian death toll. Have our innocent no defense? How is this an unimpeachable offense? Only in death will they ever cease, Extracting from us another brutal piece.   This is the day and the night of the Beast. On the blood of innocents does he gladly feast. How many deaths unt...

  Attack of the 80-Year-Old Clown   And the warplanes go bash and boom, And a new distraction to consume, And the records open that spell doom, And the warplanes must dash and zoom.   Obliterated and gone forever, Back again eight months along. Some sort of hydra the head to sever, Shows up again just for a song.   Don’t look there, look over here! The cardinal points of misdirection. Popeye in the headlights; the frightened deer, Who’s up next for defection?   And the warplanes go bash and boom, And the testimony in secluded room, And the telltale records ever loom, And the warplanes must dash and zoom.   Blondi spins, descending spiral, All the wrong folks go to trial. Bigly lies found out and gone viral, Mitchell’s seat heats all the while.   And the warplanes go bash and boom, And the records that must remain entombed, And the agony just mushrooms, And the warplanes must dash and zoom. ...

  Top Dogs   Who puts themselves above us, Or at least out of reach? Who delivers potent lessons, But will not practice what they preach? Who demands your willing sacrifice, That they covertly leech? Listen for the victim’s voice, That from on high does screech.   How long must you climb To where the depths of sin are found? How low must you go To where you are duly crowned? How high do you fly Before you run aground? Oh, it’s a long way down to Where the men at the top are found.   These masters and commanders Expect the most of you. The more that you accomplish, The less that they must do. They move on down the line, While you wait in the queue, And follow all the laws they give you, The ones that they eschew.   How long must they climb To where the depths of sin are found? How low must they go To where they are duly crowned? How high do they fly Before they run aground? Yes, it’s a long way...

  Test   Onto this plane he has been set, In this world but the guest. Many days still lie ahead, Before he takes his rest. Naked does he enter, And we hope for the best. Markedly is he watched, Many is the test.   Sent out into the world, There is attempt to advise it: “Reality is simple, One only has survive it.”   In this existence we are set, In this life we but guests. Many days will lie ahead Before we take our rest. Naked are we sent out, And we expect the best. Trials beset our watch, Many is the test.   Unlearned step into the world, A word spoken in private: “Reality is ample, It is up to you to thrive it.”   We find ourselves in this place set, Remember we are guests. Days and days are still ahead, Before we come to rest. Naked were we sent out, And we must make the best, Of what is given on our watch, Many is the test.   Unversed we venture in the world, It’s sa...

  The Coffee   They won’t let you Have all the coffee, All the coffee, All the coffee that you want. I want to have All the coffee, All the coffee, All the coffee that I want.   Sun’s up! First Cup! Leave me be, don’t interrupt! Big cup! Bottoms up! I need my caffeine hookup!   They won’t let you Have all the coffee, All the coffee, All the coffee that you want. I want to have All the coffee, All the coffee, All the coffee that I want.   Drive through, dark brew, Don’t wanna see me cuckoo! Review, maybe two, I have work I must get to!   They won’t let you Have all the coffee, All the coffee, All the coffee that you want. I want to have All the coffee, All the coffee, All the coffee that I want.   Brain chem mayhem, Can’t slow down in front of them. 3 PM, REM, How can I wake up again?   They won’t let you Have all the coffee, All the coffee, All the coffee...

  Marathon   Murder on the mainland, Death in the high seas, Desperate distractions, Expect more of these. Officials in the hot seat, See them fail the test. Shifting blame elsewhere, Doing what they do best.   They carry on with their carrying on, And I can’t get no rest. We’re in some kind of marathon, For god’s sake, Let me catch my breath!   Hey there Mr. Money Man, What did you diddly do? Babies on the island, I’m looking in the Who’s Who. I hear what the survivors say, You don’t come away so clean… Maybe you didn’t, but maybe you did, And maybe it’s Maybelline.   They want us to just move along, Give the thing a rest. It’s like some kind of marathon, And I can’t catch my breath.   No more nights in dirty town, No more getting your dirty on. Maybe you need to go to ground, What goes around comes around. No more attempted land-nabber, No more unasked-for crotch-grabber. No more bl...

  Washington Goose Step   They lie, prevaricate, distort the facts, No time to govern, covering tracks. Bombastic babbling, targeted backs, Façade crumbles, black hearts bleed through the cracks.   Who still believes the sharpened tooth smiles? Who still believes in 4D chess wiles? Who still treads water in his talking point bile? Who still believes that he ain’t in the files?   Who stands there secretly on the run? Whose daily moves are always set on stun? Who gives the orders behind criminal guns? We need all of this over and done!   They ain’t never satisfied with what they’ve got: Sticky fingers inserted into every pot. Content to contaminate all with their rot, And tell all of us to be happy with our lot.   Who still believes that man ain’t a child? Who still believes that Vlad ain’t on speed dial? Who still believes he doesn’t want to hear “Heil!” Who still believes that he ain’t in the files?  ...

  In the Fire-Fens   Only a fool walks the fire-fens. Out there where the senses end. Some never return again, From a foolish night in the fire-fens.   This tale begins where it should end: A brave lad found at loose ends. An unwise wager made with friends: A dare to brave the fire-fens.   One night only he should spend, One night in the fire-fens. With warm regard these fellows send, With what fate would he contend?   Sometimes a fool tries the fire-fens, That vie with the senses of men. Some are known to return again, After the night in the fire-fens.   Bravely forth our lad intends. Bravely to the fire-fens. Therein he finds what not was kenned: The very spirit of the fire-fens.   Fire-red tresses she did tend, And soul-deep eyes that beckoned. Then all time seemed to suspend, And the lad was lost to the fire-fens.   Not some fool walks the fire-fens. Out here where senses conten...