Strike Up The Band
Strike! Strike!
Strike up the Band!
If you're brown
please beware
If you’re black
watch your back
If you’re yellow
dive for cover
If you’re red
you’re already dead
Strike! Strike!
Strike up the Band!
They’re coming to take us away!
They’re coming to take us away!
Raise high the flag
Raise high those stars and stripes
We’re Christians and Hindus
Muslims and Jews
We work, we sing, we dance
We play in parks
On Sundays after church
We’re neighbors
We’re lovers
We’re builders, cowboys
waiters, and cooks
We’re hot dog vendors
and ice cream peddlers
We hoe your fields
and pick your fruit.
We drive your trucks
and plow your fields
We cut your meat
and herd your cows
You wonder the price
You wonder the vice
It’s time to De-Ice
Rid us of these lice?
Strike! Strike!
Strike up the Band!
They came and took us away
away
away
away to Guantanamo
Strike Up the Ban
Who’s banning Gone with the Wind
Are they banning Huckleberry Finn
The Diary of Ann Frank might offend
Some German who wasn’t born back then
must strike up the band
when you want to understand
do at my command
Jim Horn
Strike Up Spark with Flint
Who said on responsibility they skipped out?
On good water upon us did bring a drought
No doubt, somewhere must be some slander
Precipitated in politics by a Michigander.
Did you see color of water in glass
None of my tests would it ever pass;
Can tell what smell and taste may be like;
For good water have to take a hike.
What are our taxes being spent on?
Where has all our great water gone;
Well, do I have to be more adroit;
They still do have it in Detroit.
James Thomas Horn
Retired Veteran and Poet
Vertical water
drenching everything around...
Raindrops on parade.
If one is wrong
and the other one is right
the choice should be easy,
but why then the inner fight?
We choose
and then we second guess,
what if we chose wrong
and really made a great mess!
We know deep down
the choice we made
will bring us joy -
like a summer parade.
Strike up the band.
It's going to be grand.
Sing as never before.
Let the music roar.
Strike up the band.
If you are feeling down.
Turn up the sound.
Give it all you got.
The music is hot.
Let the music play.
Strike up the band.
The music roars.
A crescendo of course.
The drums bash.
Symbols crash.
Trumpets scream.
Violins sound like a dream.
Let the music play.
Strike up the band
Why are you singing.
My good friend?
Because this music has no end.
It makes me happy to say.
Let the music play.
Strike up the band.
You don't need a reason.
To sing or play.
Happiness display.
Drive misery away.
Let the music play.
Strike up the band
The heart rejoice.
Lift up the voice.
Let it ring let it say.
I'm happy to day.
Let the music play.
Strike up the band.
.............................
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