Dolly, Dolly, Dolly
you made the headlines again
Dolly, Dolly, Dolly
what would we do
without you?
Dolly, Dolly, Dolly
the paragon of generations
the backbone of industry
Dolly, Dolly, Dolly
you paved the way
and let us build so much
trapped as we were
in the cycle of birth and death
as life begets life
but now we’ve got you
Dolly, Dolly, Dolly
progress no longer bound by life
Dolly, Dolly, Dolly
that’s the name we gave you
the mother of multitudes
Dolly, Dolly, Dolly
praise to you who killed death!
and you who outmoded birth!
Dolly, Dolly, Dolly
never able to comprehend
what we gained from your life
oh, all the familiar faces!
of all the cows in the fields
of all the pigs in their pens
of all the people on the street
the solidarity is striking!
and it’s all thanks to you
Dolly, Dolly, Dolly

I want my own planet
or maybe a little moon
a bite-sized place to call my own
I’d just sit and look into space
if I had my own planet
it would be totally quiet
‘cause I like it that way
and you can make your own rules
on your own personal planet
and it would be ridiculously tidy
so that I could find everything
right when I need it
and there would be nobody
to make a mess of it
and I could sleep all I want
‘cause I don’t need to do anything
and I could go anywhere
on my personal planet
no one would be there to stop me
because if other people went there
it wouldn’t be my own planet anymore
I’d wish for my planet in a heartbeat
so I could do whatever I want
but then again
having a planet to myself
might get a little lonely sometimes
so maybe
just maybe
you could come to my personal planet too

Hell rages on
to the battlefield
delivering children and soldiers alike
to a furious visage
Hell rages on
to the forests
toppling and rending the verdure
to feed unending hunger
Hell rages on
to the city’s streets
where the poor writhe and wither
as they are crushed underfoot
we are content with this
content that hell stalks
and flows through the world
like a passing storm
the horrors stand at our door
and we sit and bicker
bicker
bicker
bicker
at why that actor
cheated on his wife!
or maybe the best
ways to look 18 again?
perhaps today its the fashionable
surgeries ALL the starlets are taking on.
but is there more?
what are we to do?
there is more
we can feel
we can let loose
of our steely façade
and feel
and feel to the depth our hearts
and we can burn
burn off our husk
and embrace primal fervor
and blaze brilliantly bright
above all
we can care
and care enough
to endure discomfort
and care enough
to change
and care enough
to love

all is now auburn colored
from the flush leaves on the trees
to those that keep the ground covered
and those flying on autumn’s breeze
O fall! paint us rugged oaks
or the softest red maples
O autumn! use brilliant strokes
for every hue you are able
lay waste to the summer heat
and hold off the winter frost
a buffer built by those winds fleet
gentleness of this form is lost
O but Autumn comes with grace!
never a hint of cruelty
even less than a lovely face
alas you will fade brutally!
O how we’ll mourn when you’re gone!
and drink to empty our cups!
the tavern ablaze until dawn!
honoring yours’ and winter’s crux
glasses in the air we cheer
revering bountiful gifts
full plates and full glasses of beer
the cornucopia we lift
owes nothing to your cold death
but instead to supple life
that gave to the land its last breath
until we had a harvest rife

won’t you hold my hand?
and fight the monsters
in the dark
won’t you hold my hand?
and give me strength
while I’m sick
in bed
won’t you say sweet words?
that soothe me to sleep
after my long day
won’t you say sweet words?
that assure everything
and keep my world
together
won’t you make dinner?
something warm
and hearty
won’t you make dinner?
really anything is fine
as long as its
from you
won’t you show me love?
that special kind
only you can
won’t you show me love?
that I’ve always had
for all my life
from you
do I even need to ask?
of course you will
because
I can always rely on you
no matter where I go
after all, you are
my mother

let’s go for a ride
in the ‘55 pontiac
just like the good old days
it doesn’t have AC
but its okay
we can roll down the windows
and just ride
down the highway
we can go to that
drive-up burger place
if you’re hungry
the carhop will bring out our shakes
yours chocolate
mine caramel
just like the good old days
and we’ll sit there
and talk
long after we’re done
maybe I could take the wheel
and I could drive
if you’re tired
but we’re not done yet
we could go watch a movie
at the drive in
and after that
we can just go to
the middle of nowhere
some place really dark
and just look at the stars
with the Beach Boys on the radio
just like the good old days
let’s not talk about the future
not right now
tonight we talk about the past
because tonight
we’ll talk about our love
and how it formed our
special bond
to today
it has survived
every trial and tribulation
it has been alongside
every joy and happiness
so as I hold your hand
that monstrous thing
tonight of all nights
I’m going to remember
the good old days

what is life?
each life is
an experience
a momentary current
in the flow of existence
each life is
a collection
of sensory data
telling a story
about the universe
each life is
not individual
the life I live
is not my life
alone
my life
is the tie that binds
my unique experience
to every other
I have ever met
each life
follows its own path
purpose
is not a unifying theme
its whatever you choose
each life
is an experience
unbound by identity
so go out and
make it a good one