those places that are marked on every map
we drew in childhood to ensure our play
had structure in the mind that they would stay
solidly longer than the infant pap
of other games would drift through every nap
shaping the dream out of imagined clay
to make a brightness greater than the day
when ordinary life was only crap
from word to vision the true path is clear
so that you take it with eyes truly cold
through the divisions of a world in strife
with all the forces that would shred and tear
your heart and spirit as you become old
reject them all and choose the better life

all that we know has been subject to loss
of definition and of common sense
so we make of the remnant a pretense
and aim to sneak our last hard words across
the barrier between plain truth and dross
but find that we are caught up on that fence
lacking a guide and with no good defense
our coins have come up wrong side on the toss
no messengers will reach the happy place
where children think that justice is at home
to  give report now that is no regret
for those who stand to win or lose in grace
or find what's hidden underneath the foam
the seat is ready and the board is set

far out beyond the eastern shore
where all our senses ought to fail
the howling realm of shark and whale

exist dim hints of something more
another place on larger scale
far out beyond the eastern shore

what's there is easy to ignore
the oceans are too wide to sail
waters are deep winds loudly wail
far out beyond the eastern shore

not only sounds but senses we require
to build the worlds in which our hearts will fit
all meanings in the end must add to fire

in order that we see that those who hire
the truth in stages do not crimes commit
not only sounds but senses we require

to bring our vision to a place that's higher
beyond the limits where the foolish sit
all meanings in the end must add to fire

when what comes after means we must retire
from all our options while the times permit
not only sounds but senses we require

for matters that will lead all to aspire
far past the normal so that atoms split
all meanings in the end must add to to fire

that is the certainty life is no liar
she's the true joker the mistress of wit
not only sounds but senses we require
all meanings in the end must add to fire

when after hard night’s sleep you wake to shock
of world everted by some horrid act
that frightens into childhood though the fact
is not so dangerous as to unlock
those charging monsters that good adults block
assuring you that though we've been attacked
the enemy will suffer the impact
and we will be as stalwart as the rock
the sounds of battle will not this day reach
our tender ears the voices urge stay calm
just go about your life and do your duty
yet they are silent those who ought to teach
the urgent lesson that there is no balm
to ease the pain and no way back to beauty

some answers teach us that we have to ask
in simple words but make the complex set
of terminologies our broadest net
the tool that's aptest for this ample task
of abyssal exploring those who bask
on  the warm hills they who will never get
how hard the job is whose feet are not wet
they'll not discern the world behind the mask
but on some morning when the mists depart
those who go furthest out may well discern
in the sharp moment of deepest desire
the one thing missing to complete each heart
at the right moment when the waters burn
with the clear light of universal fire

now spring appears all verdant on the scene
there's weight of dust and water in the air
all eyes are taken by the sudden green

the change of seasons never comes quite clean
but winter's going with one sort of care
now spring appears all verdant on the scene

to reassure us that the great machine
continues working now the signs are fair
all eyes are taken by the sudden green

the starting colours almost seem obscene
after the starkness yet we cannot fear
now spring appears all verdant on the scene

as roughnesses are covered by a screen
of leaves and blossoms and now we stare
all  eyes are taken by the sudden green

of trees and bushes that we had long seen
bare and asleep so now a new affair
now spring appears all verdant on the scene
all eyes are taken by the sudden green