God is great, God provides
Food, shelter, warmth, and life
With faith in God, accomplish all
Without God, you'll surely fall

Always watching, always there,
In your pocket or market shares
God is great, God is green
God is the plastic card
Slipping in the machine
On every bill
And coin
And dollar $ign
In every voice chanting
"Mine! Mine! Mine!"

If present everywhere,
How can it be wrong?
'In God We Trust!'
Hail Mammon.

Black powder burns in a firework show
Protecting us all from the rest of the world
If you're not like us then you've got to go!
Or sway to our side, I'll tally the votes!
You know our reply, should your answer be no

America the Free; Restrictions apply-
A privilege to live, but a right to die
So long as you tithe Uncle Sam, eat up the lies,
Come drink the water, and look to the skies
So the light of our glory can burn out your eyes

Bow down the the televised, our Celebrity Gods
Their cabinet disciples extolling their flaws-
Nevermind the **** a-frothing their jaws!
If the cameras are rolling, it's all for the cause;
No such thing as bad press if it's drowned in applause!

Do you love your God, Guns, and Government?
(The Holy Trinity of Democracy)
Pray for the war and worship the bullet

Do you love your God, Guns, and Government?
(Protecting us all if we only believe)
Do as you're told, think as we tell it

Do you love your God, Guns, and Government?
(You're doing so well with your head in the sand!)
So well-informed from our media pulpit

Do you love your God, Guns, and Government?
(Don't mine the debris, we're building our brand!)
Scratching away at a fresh-treatised covenant

(I)        
   Love         Your
             (My)
God, Guns, and Government

Ah, now,
So you agree?
Outstanding!
What a pretty little web I'll weave
For you

Such a delectable morsel-
I mean, delightful mortal!
You turned out to be...

Just lay your head back,
Within my power-
Don't be daft, boy,
I clearly said 'parlor,'
I absolutely salivate to see
What you have in store for me.

Recline back upon my chair,
I'll soon have your soul laid bare!
I won't harm you,
Au contraire!
Your service is much too vital!

Please close your eyes, go to sleep,
My docile yearling, darling sheep,
Let me spin a wondrous dream
Wrought of gold, and finer things
Of court and castle, a fair young king-
It may take some time.

You're sure you want to change, then?
Third's the charm, so they say
Splendid! You've agreed again
Now you just rest, and I'll set to mend
Fancy and reality.
Fair warning-
You may feel a /slight/ pinch.
Pay no mind, trust me,
Trust me.

There now,
Out like a light!
Now I can get to work aright,
Trading Dream for Life.
I /did/ mention the higher fee?
Of course I did,
Silly me.

But being one to keep my word,
I'll start from the end,
And move on forward!
Being a gentleman, little lamb,
I'll leave you one year
And one day then.
A fitting trade, wouldn't you say,
For all you ever dreamed?

And now that I've received my pay,
It's time to send you on your way-
Wake up, wake up!
I'm all but done!
No sense in wasting a day, young one-
Your Highness, my Leige,
Go and enjoy your fantasy!

Don't forget to tell your friends
Who to come and see!

Another satisfied customer, alas,
Time to go,
I'm a very busy man, you know-
Other clients need to cut a deal,
And at my prices? Ha!
What a steal!

Like that lad!
Yes, you!
Come, young sir,
To me, to me
Would you like to buy a Dream?
Or perhaps, a Memory?

You always were a work of art,
Cast in flesh and broken hearts;
Draped in skin of not your own,
Stretched tautly over groaning bone

My beautiful monster, can't you see?
'Twas I made thee, unselfishly-
Yet still, from me, you turn away
And squint against harsh light of day

Sewn and stitched, with love, together
None shall ever know you better-
Each hair, each line, I put it there!
With gentle hand and tender care

Alas, you'll never utter word-
A reflection's voice is never heard.

Tried to get a job
But 'Experience Required,'
Hard to get experience
If you never get hired
Likewise, they want
A college degree-
But wouldn't you know,
That **** ain't free!

One big loan and
Two low wage jobs later,
You've finally gotten
Some gilded scrap paper
(With no guarantee
Of a refund later!)

Can't keep up with the Jones'
If you're on the wrong track;
Can't pay your bills,
If you ain't got the scratch!
So you finally break down
And work for the man
In a dead-end 'career'
With no long-term plans
Just the same 9-5
With your head in the sand

Moving right along on
The same daily grind
Just another cog
In an assembly line
Where you buy your retirement
That four-oh-one-kay
Until your employer decides
To sell it away;
Dock your insurance,
Cut your hours at work,
Like it's a privilege to come!
(And you should pay them, of course.)

With two-point-five kids,
And a white picket fence,
A quaint little wife,
And dollars to cents
Pretending and playing
That everything's alright
Just barely above
The poverty line

Living out
That old American Dream!
Just keep your head down,
And repeat after me:
"I am safe, I am happy, I am free"

I am Safe,
I am Happy,
I am Free.

None sob for the hero
When at last, his end he meets
No remembrances for deeds long done
Only lauding of defeat

No parades or tickertape
Or maybe moonlight vigils
Just a simple wooden box
And a few religious symbols

And everyone's a saint
And everyone's a martyr-
Brother, sister, mother
Son or daughter, father

For when Death finally comes
And surely takes us all,
No one weeps for any
When the last one finally falls

No one mourns the common man
No fanfare at his death
Just complacence and contempt
And softly veiled regret.

We used to stroll down by the sea,
Hand in hand, just you and me
To gather shells in warm sunlight,
Count the stars on the bay at night,
Build sandcastles, and fish until the dark
Never I thought our ways would part

But those days are far and gone,
There's no more walking in the sun
We're neither who we used to be,
I doubt you still remember me
Or memory from time long past
You forget, but still I ask-

Dear Grandmother, let me help you now
When your golden years have gone and let you down
Stole your mind and made you frail,
But I still love you, can't you tell?
I'll wipe your chin and cut your food,
Just as for me, you used to do-
Please let me help you

I remember the strength in calloused hands,
Somehow turn to velvet in a touch
Inspecting some new scrape or cut
I always got, from playing too rough
You'd get me back up on my feet,
Bandage me up, and pat my cheek
Send me on my way again

Dear Grandfather, let me help you now
When your golden years have gone and let you down
Button your shirt, and comb your hair,
You did for me, now fair is fair,
I just want to be there-
Please let me help you

Your hands now tremble, and may not be as strong
Move a little slower, but still get right along
You cared for me, these long and many years
Let me be there now,
For all the love and tears we've shared

What kind of man would I be
If I couldn't help the ones
Who've done so much for me?