The Skeletons and Songs of Samsara - 2
In the heart where your naivety resides
you wonder what haunts the sun
and why pain enjoys your childhood eyes,
when you see warm blood run
then you know that death can color
and like you, death loves a dramatic picture,
however, death doesn't dull the future
for a youngster hyper to play the leader
so you go on healin' and shoutin'
jumpin' and fightin', tellin' the world you're smart
the game gets faster and stress starts stingin'
as parents become impatient with the plan of your art,
the alphabet of adventure mispells compliance
intuition's arithmetic equals defiance,
Intuition's arithmetic equals defiance
in the schoolhouse of locked windows,
to everything but your heart you pledge allegiance
militarized mental architecture drums the ethos
academic arrows are aimed right at the soul's throat,
the teachers want your free attention
curriculums corner creative comprehension by rote
and bells ring the brain into submission,
the world is shown as a jigsaw puzzle
with multiple choice obedience that denies your voice
and the more you look over the barbed wall
your talent moves further into the anonymous abyss,
the music is amiss in the damp camp,
you know that there is lightning in your lamp,
You know that there is lightning in your lamp
family introduces religion into the routines
placing an old book on your lap
praying that you'll understand what misery means
as if you don't know how to read rain
and why there are rainbows in puddles
or how the cries of punishment stain
oh you've learned how love befuddles,
yes, there's a scripture in every playground
a hymn for all the beastly breaths,
parables fit into the shambles of adolescence unbound
hormonal graffiti paints prodigal depths
with curse words cracking shedding skin
a studious savage barks to begin,
A studious savage barks to begin
graduation into the grind of occupation
the streets taught you how to bargain
while school made you a fool of gray education
you've received a degree in everything but reality
yet television magicians have fixed a face for you
personality programing increases acceptability
into the honeycomb hustle where individuality be taboo,
the working world isn't waiting for your consent
nor is the rent or the needs of your soul
perhaps a job in law enforcement or waste management
will be the avenue for your hypnotic stroll,
division of labor may make you the sacrificial champ
the State will sear your surname on the collar and clamp,
The State will sear your surname on the collar and clamp
there's a time clock tickin' for your day
you better learn to give 8 hours to the corporate vamp
paying the war tax with reliable sweat and clay,
financial credit can be had for desperate signatures
spend twice the price for shallow status
survive on the coins of your tears,
there's no sympathy for the homeless
the quiters and the damned fall the same way
and if you want to be a brave loner
you had better fortify your armor with a faith ray,
if you can't endure without a lover you'll be a gonner,
no one has the right to live, being born isn't good enough to stay in,
you only have the right to fight to live, to take the win,
You only have the right to fight to live, to take the win
many want to own your happiness
to kill it or to claim it with a dominant grin
others have been grading your consciousness
since you were a child catchin' simple facts
with indelicate hands and undaunted eyes,
as an adult you see how equality breaks
on the anvil of performance, by stress' strikes,
you balk on the borderline of depression's brimstone
and success' roses, which redden deeper
from the moisture of exhaustion's groan,
is it the despair or the hope that makes the leader,
do we buckle before or after the battle
is the heart of a hero infallible,
Is the heart of a hero infallible
in the industry of survival
where the iron ore of your core becomes shaved steel
cold to kindness and hot to the touch of the loyal,
yeah, you can be mean too, like a viper in the sun
menace the wicked with a mere smile
tempt the devil in the dumb
with the truth of self serving denial
yet hitherto hypocrisy has hindered you
put briny mist around your trust
and has led you to a vain view
in which love is worn to rust,
will you become the enemy of ignorance
can you become a juggernaut of justice,
Can you become a juggernaut of justice,
is fate dormant or active underneath your feet,
does destiny matter in the shadow of confidence
with Providence as an accomplice in the furious feat
of remaining young in the demolition of age
because you haven't surrendered your star
to apathy's ire or hate's bondage
finding no shame in that which makes you stronger,
capitulation isn't in the equation
you don't believe in being hardwired for failure
out there, in the morass of the masses is salvation
a companion for creation, an inspiration to share
unlimited ways to make life beautiful
to no longer rage against the inevitable,
To no longer rage against the inevitable
by now the incurable confusion of conflicts
has resolved itself into wisdom inflamable
igniting blue flames upon the lips of your heart's risks,
emotional intellect is our Godsend
atomic poetry the keepsake
of what a haunted land will lend,
a trust in the unbroken beast you do not foresake
because you have held the hunger
of an angel's absolute affection
and danced to a demon's terror
for in this theater of raw freedom you are human,
you know the power of fire and weight of ice
the diploma soul tattooed, let love be your witness
J.A.B.
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