I once was told In Broooklyn New York I had a lackadaisical attitude. It was the first time I was hearing That whimsical adjective ! So lackadaisical I was ! Looked like an illness The way they said it It seemed I could contaminate. So I stopped a few seconds to think and dissect the word Lackadaisical I lacked a daisy somewhere ! Sounded like I lacked a fuse in my brain ! Next thing I know I was checking the word In my reminiscences of the Oxford English Dictionary Or may be it was Webster's And it said in black and white ferns I lacked purpose I wasn't properly lazy, I just lacked directions I lacked enthusiasm, stamina I was devoid of zest I was blasé Insouciant Careless. Translated into more French I was nonchalant and better said Jemenfoutiste. It was during an encounter group And they threw that lackadaisical attitude ******* to my face And guess what i did ?! I just kept on smiling Jemenfoutiste to the extreme. And they kept saying See what I mean, you 're so ******* lackadaisical , man ! You're so pathetic ! You're so apathetic ! It was Winter in America like Gil Scott-Heron would say And it felt so good, so warm, As far as I could see, To be called lackadaisical And not laconical. I not only lacked a daisy I lacked a bunch of tropical flowers indeed ! Like bouganvillea, orchid or hibiscus Anthurium, jasmine or bromeliad I lacked sun and sea Strange as it was Even though I was near Atlantic Avenue, Coney Island So I was lackaseacal and lackasuncal But what I didn't lack was ants in my pants And until today they make me dance My forever lackadaisical dance.