CliffSongs

  Long Mile   The hours have passed, The journey is long, Not everyone you knew Has come along. The miles have passed, Long under your feet. Still, we press on: A journey incomplete.   Over the long miles, The victories and the trials, The scars and the smiles, Collected over the long miles.   The years have passed, A winding track. Is there any wisdom In looking back? The miles are past, You have come this far. So, if I may ask: Are you still who you are?   Over the long miles, The victories and the trials, The scars and the smiles, Collected over the long miles.   Are your memories lessons? What have you learned? Dare you ask the question: What bridges have burned?   Over the long miles, The victories and the trials, The scars and the smiles, Collected over the long miles.   Cliff Lake 2/22/2025 Copyright © Clifford Lake 2025

  Crossroads Again   Criminals in the sacred hallways stalk. The villains have grabbed all the keys and broken the locks. How do we with these fiends grapple? They have broken into and defiled the chapel.   Fools reveling in disaster, Institutions falling faster. Where is the light we were assured? Look at the future unsecured.   Here at the crossroads again, Grasping for the receding rope’s end: Is this the choice you did not make? Is this the chance you failed to take? Here at a crossroads again.   Tendrils of infamy encircle in siege, Power being removed beyond reach, Grasped by brutes who cannot be appeased, Why would anyone choose this disease?   We once again live in oppressive clime. We fought off such straits upon a time. We stood against the evil then, We find ourselves at that crossroads again.   Here at the crossroads again, Grasping for the receding rope’s end: Is this the choice y...

  Friends   I can see my friend, I can see him from here. But he won’t visit any longer, He won’t come by. He no longer trusts me, Or the people I live by, And I do not blame him.   What have I done to my friend To cause him to shy from me? I have existed. I have existed in the right place At the wrong time. And though that is not my fault, Still, I do not blame him.   Once I loved my existence, In this place, In my time, Faulted though it was. But now too many that also live here Embrace those faults, And name them virtues.   Loudly they proclaim against my friend, And name him lesser, And claim debt of him, And threaten his home, His livelihood, His autonomy, And would co-opt his home.   What’s worse, Is that I do not know If I can stop them, From attempting to act on their words, And neither does my friend, Nor do any of his friends. And I don’t blame them.   Once I ...

  Mired   Muddy waters, Hidden hazards, Smoke and haze, And through it all, Strident voices crying imaginary woe.   They wandered the broken landscape, Scavengers they were called, Parasites and scroungers, Yet they only desired to live. Their clothes were poor but sturdy, Good enough for the work deemed their station. Hard muscled they became, Built rough, And living rougher.   Mists and mirrors, Fogs and feints, Deceits and despair, And through it all, Invocations against each other.   They worked the blasted earth, Menials they were named, Unworthies and unwanted, Yet still they were used. Their eyes were clear and unhardened, Good enough to see through lies told too often. Hard willed they became, Numerous, And growing stronger.   Moans and accusations, Complaints and threats, Empty promises and failures, And through it all, The gibbering fear that they will be seen.   ...

  For Immediate Rele ase: The Real Fake News – Kids in the Hall Edition   Elon Musk today announced plans to have wheels replace his feet after discovering one of them was a left. “If we’re going to make any progress, I’m going to have to roll through this presid… uh, appointment.” said the erstwhile cyborg to a group of children he pulled from a large sack. He then ordered the group to rifle through the Resolute desk and throw out whatever they found.   President Trump took laps at the Daytona 500 race. As expected, no egg prices dropped as a result.   Mark Zuckerberg has cancelled all public appearances until his oil can is located. He has however promised to continue making Facebook even worse.   Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. today denied reports of the existence of the H5N1 virus, also known as “bird flu” claiming, “Whoever heard of a bird with cold symptoms, I mean, c’mon!” Meanwhile he promised to release a list of...

  Questions   In the spaces between the dreams, The noises of living, The taking and the giving, And the constant question: “Why?” In the faces of the timestream, In the smiles and the frowns, In the eyes cast down, And do you ever wonder: “Why?” In the chases involved in the schemes, The upward flow to the bosses, The betrayals and the losses, And do you ever stop to ask: “Why?” In the braces you wear in your team, Do you get less, and yet do more? How long has your back gone sore? Do you look back and ask: “Why?” In the disgraces gone extreme, How did they get to the top? How do we get it to stop? Is there any point in asking: “Why?” In the spaces between your dreams, As you strive for a decent living, Are you to remain so forgiving? If you are to allow this to continue, I have to ask: Why?   Why?   Cliff Lake 2/15/2025 Copyright © Clifford Lake 2025

  Stealin’   Another day and Another distraction Pointing away A continued subtraction.   Moving the funds from Over there to here, Three card monte, The funds disappear.   You fell for the carnival pitch, Now you see the bait and switch. Maybe you call it double dealin’, In the old days we just called it stealin’.   They tell you to trust, But their story’s too old. “Follow the money” But the trail has gone cold.   Just what are they doing With their kiddie hacks? They’ve made such a mess, It covers their tracks.   You fell for the carnival pitch, Now you see the bait and switch. Maybe you call it double dealin’, In the old days we just called it stealin’.   You thought you gave yourself a break, You thought you’d get a piece of the cake. You find out you never had a stake, This is what you voted for, cupcake.   You fell for the carnival pitch, Now you see the bait a...

  Gulf of Embezzle-O   Elon and his kiddies swarm, He says we need Xtra reforms. The U.S. is reaching new sub-norms, Watching all the DOGE deforms.   And the Orange Ogre lets it go, Bringing the U.S. low. But We the People, we still know, They plunder from here to the Gulf of Mexico.   The Gulf of Mexico, my friend, Where the dinosaur met his end, There isn’t any need to pretend, In the Gulf of Mexico, my friend.   The Oval Office internal foe, His rich guy cronies in tow, The Rule of Law is no mo’ From here to the Gulf of Mexico.   The Gulf of Mexico, my friend, Why would anyone backbend? Seems like such a dead-end, Messing with the Gulf of Mexico, friend.   How do we throw off this shadow? I think we need better ammo. They would have us exist below, Under guard from here to the Gulf of Mexico.   The Gulf of Mexico, my friend, We will not condescend. Listen as I recommend, Stil...

  Lost of the Win   Somehow these are the cards that we drew: A couple of jokers that don’t care about you. This is the craziest crew: Pete wouldn’t withdraw from the WHO.   Hungry babies in the Bible belt, Losing on the hand that they dealt. Scratching their heads and it’s such a shame, They still don’t get they were always the game.   A disaster in every town, An infection in every pot! Epidemics and poisons going down! Get ’em while they ‘re hot!   Departments mined and then shut down, The dealers collect while the people drown. Ante up and join the shakedown! See what you get for effin’ around?   All these losers that went all in, All these losers taking it on the chin. What’s happened to your stupid grin? How did you lose it all on the win?   A disaster in every town, An infection in every pot! Epidemics and poisons going down! Get ’em while they ‘re hot!   Cliff Lake 2/8/2025 ...

  Memory Follows   The fading paint of memory. Time becomes a distance, Increasing with or without the footstep, A retreat in minutes and hours, Of days and finally years, Hazy, Unclear, But coming into sharp clarity at times, Only to retreat again. A distance traveled now in thought, Slighted of deed.   The failing paint of memory. Sights and sound going gray, Indistinct and muddled, Yet inseparable from the self, A skein beneath the skin, Holding one together, A connection to what was, Is no more, May never have been, And makes you what you are.   The falling paint of memory. Exposing nothing beneath, Our being counted in a continuous past, Created in moments unheld, Looked back upon With the measuring eye, That may see clearly, Or may diffuse that glimpse, Seeing splendor that is not, Or tragedy that has broken one, Or creates a strength of will unlooked for.   The fallacy of memory. ...

  Great Undo   Data breaker extraordinaire, What the hell is he doing in there? Is he still the tech sensation? Nah, he’s just stealing your information.   Top dog gives him a blank check, Standing down while the nation is wrecked. Seduced by the South African: Prez has left you for another man.   Feel them pull the rug under you, What are they really up to? Is this what you asked them to do? Welcome to the Great Undo.   Was is it supposed to go like this? Giving your info the death kiss? How do you think your life will go, When there isn’t anything they don’t know?   Look how the big man backs from his threats – What does he really want to get? When did he become X’s biggest fan? Donny has left you for another man.   Feel them pull the wool over you, What are they really up to? Is this what you want them to do? Welcome to the Great Screw You.   Will we let them in every division squa...

  They Say   “Look!” they say As they empty your plate, “The feast has just begun!” “Hooray!” they bray, “We celebrate The feeding of the One.”   “What joy!” so coy, They dangle the ploy Announced ad infinitum. “Misread!” they said, As the rats they bred, Prepare to turn and bite ‘em.   “We won!” they spun, Beating the sagging drum, And they smile gritted teeth. “You can’t!” they pant, And policy recant While quaking underneath.   “Stay away!” they pray, “Or we will surely make you pay!” Fearing that we may just have the guts. “You need!” they plead, Displaying their wanton greed, They’re complicit up to their butts.   “Unfair!” they share, While pretending they care, Their hands busy in the till. “We deserve!” they serve, Hoping they aren’t observed Thwarting the people’s will.   We see, you agree, And just where can they flee, Maybe to some golf haven. They’re debris we d...

  Pirated   We let them come aboard, Though without much trust. Ignoring tattered honor, And reputations made of rust. We gave over tiller, They claimed it was their due, Now they’re steering for the rocks, They broke the rudder in two. We hear them sing:   “We’re jolly pirates, Dangerous and bold. See us get ours, You’re left in the cold. We’re plundering pirates, We cannot be controlled, We’ll sink this ship, Once we’ve emptied the hold.”   They’ve raised the full sail, The storm strains the mast. The crew is in the brig, The passengers harassed. Some sailors remain, Surviving the cull, Someone to man the oars, Before they scuttle the hull. And the pirate sings:   “We’re mighty pirates, Blinded and bold. We’ll be jumping ship, After pocketing the gold. We’re plundering pirates, We cannot be controlled, We’ll sink this ship, Once we’ve emptied the hold.”   We are careening on, ...

  Diminishing   The gray times are upon us: A diminishing, A long twilight, Though the sun warms hotter, Its vigil is besmirched, And the skies are no longer friendly.   Here we have proudfully wasted, Our celebrations recall the dead, The living going largely unnoticed, Excepting garish blaring shoutings, Lauding many unworthy, Who think much less in return.   Onward we speed! Rushing headlong to nowhere, For all must retire at their end. But while we continue, We run, Only to finally stop; we know not when.   Faster we fly! In our wake, Poison and oily waters, Smokes and burnt land, And as testament to our great pace, The air browns nicely. Those in the high place, They elevate themselves ever higher, To rise above the greases, and the sludges, And make much of themselves, And make worse messes, For those below to clean.   These are the gray times, We diminish: We make the twiligh...

  Whither Thou   Whither thou goest, Lady? Thy trials are just begun, Is sweet Liberty on the run? Whither thou goest, Thy work is not yet done!   Whither thy champions, Lady? They seem so slow to rise, Have they all but closed their eyes? Whither thy champions, They must answer your cries!   Whither thou courage, Lady? Hast thee closed thy hand, Hast thee lost this land, Whither thy courage, Thee must now make thy stand!   Whither thy children, Lady? They cry out in deepening night, They seek your flame and its light, Whither thy children, Do not abandon the fight!   Whither thy ire, Lady? Thy creed is tossed away, Thy care has been betrayed, Whither thy ire, Once more thee must seize the day!   Whither thou goest, Lady? The trials are never done, Liberty walks but never runs! Whither thou goest, This fight has just begun!   Whither thy Declaration, Lady? Whither the da...

  EO Magician   The price of breakfast isn’t falling, He says it just fell more. Isn’t it just so enthralling, Watching your savings vanish in the store?   It doesn’t matter that he hasn’t a clue, Don’t worry when it all goes wrong, He’s found out what he needs to do: He sings the Executive Order song.   It’s the spiky signature cleanse: Watch him EO away blame. The Presidential Seal of approval – No bad attached to his name.   Now he gathers the friendly billionaires, So why not crash the economy? It isn’t that he doesn’t care, It’s just that it’s not another felony.   Don’t ask him any questions, It isn’t that he doesn’t know; He just needs the right suggestion, And then sign it into truth by EO.   It’s the spiky signature cleanse: Watch him EO away blame. The Presidential Seal of approval – No bad attached to his name.   Does he see a thing he doesn’t like? He just needs that paper...

  Readiness   A poisoned flower presented: Rough sustenance leaves us wanting, And empathy dies, Drowned in rhetoric.   Pretty phrases gone sour, Understanding twisted to control, Shepherding abandoned for gold, The mask slips, And the monster’s smiles Are full of teeth.   They have yet to be hit hard enough To turn to desperation, They are too busy biting To notice how clearly they are seen. Yet once they heed the turbulence They themselves have created beneath them, They will attempt the mortal strike.   Are you ready? They will use the club, Indiscriminate and unwieldy, They will use the unaimed bullet, Claiming victory no matter where it strikes, They will use the thug, Brutes thirsty for violence, Uncaring against whom.   They will use fear, Reprisal, Retaliation, And revenge, And you are their enemy and I am their enemy and We are their enemy.   Are you ready? Because...

  Return of the Son of the Bride of THE REAL FAKE NEWS (Extended Edition)   Federal workers are demanding access to SNAP and EBT as part of their severance packages following upcoming government layoffs. Ambulances rushed to the Eisenhower building after Elon Musk heard of the demands and passed out from “an extreme attack of the giggles.” He was revived with a large dose of molly.   Burger King has denounced Trump’s first week in office. A spokesman for BK angrily asked, “Does he have a crown? Does he have a crown like this?” rapidly unfolding a copy of the familiar headgear.   The Secret Service is reportedly on high alert for “Well-dressed militia” after Trump’s Executive Order banning transgender military personnel.   After a blessing of Washington DC by Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, Robert Kennedy Jr. complained of a “brain rash” and asked for an exorcism, while First Lady Melania said that her husbands own rash remain unchanged and “is lookin...

  I Won’t Say   Do you want me to say I told you so? Do you want me to Tell you how I tried? Well, I’ve got nothing to say, You can watch me walk away, I might not even say goodbye.   The first time around They fumbled and clowned, It was a circus every day. But they’ve learned a trick or two, And they’re shitting on you too, They have plans and you’re in the way.   Do you want me to say I told you so? Do you want me to Tell you how I tried? Well, I’ve got nothing to say, You can watch me walk away, I might not even say goodbye.   Do you still think you’ve won? How’s it feel under the gun, Isn’t this how you wanted it to go? Are you getting mad, Now that you know that you’ve been had, Too bad kid, I have my own row to hoe.   Do you want me to say I told you so? Do you want me to Tell you how I tried? Well, I’ve got nothing to say, You can watch me walk away, I might not even say goo...

  About Life   The world is about life. The world is about death. Thus has it been since before you were born, Thus it is since before I arrived. We do not control death, But there are some who would control life. All life, My life, Your life. They will establish rules for life, Rules not found in nature, Some rules that nature abhors. They would make your life ruled by them, And if you will not be ruled in life, They will serve death. They will not live by their rules, They will live as they please, Exposing their rot. Should you challenge their way of living, They answer, “That’s life. Deal with it.” What sort of life is that? That we must appease and honor them, Even after death, That do not honor us? Is that not life simply shambling toward death? Life is for the living. Why can we not live our lives? Why can we not allow others to live theirs? Are we to impose our lives on them? Are we to deliver them death I...