I'm just a small man
On a seemingly large planet
Inside of an unimaginably
Huge universe

But, essentially
We are near only to ourselves
And so we appear to ourselves
As larger than reality would dictate

The train rocks back and forth
Rolling down the track
Rolling toward the future
click-clack, click-clack, click-clack

People sit by windows
People walk the aisles
They pass the time by talking
With their social smiles

The conductor is checking tickets
With a supercilious air
Wishing his patrons "Good day"
Though he really doesn't care
He's seen them all before
Wearing different faces
He simply does his job
As they go different places

A man stares at his paper
His wife; her magazine cover
Searching for news of the world
Yet they don't even know each other
He looks at her for no reason
Flashing a quizzical grin
She studies his face for a moment
Then turns away again

A couple in the dining car
They've been in love for years
They've worked so hard together
Mastering their fears
She's just been diagnosed
She has not long to go
"I'll get better", she tells him
Bravely smiling, he says, "I know"

A man stands at the bar
Begging for attention
A woman takes the bait
To sample his intention
"I've waited my life for a girl like you,
To love until I die"
Another girl enters the club car
And he slyly winks his eye

The train heads for a tunnel
To trap us in the black
A nervous smile is on your face
As you brace for a panic attack
"Will you be okay...  can I help?
I know you find the dark frightening"
"I'll be fine.  It's no worry"
But your grip on my hand is tightening
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
We speak so many languages
Some verbal; some unheard
With such a wide range of meaning
From logical, to absurd
There is no railway timetable
To explain our destination
All we can do is get on the train
And hope to get off at the right station

I will not change
I simply refuse
That goes for my diet
My vices, and views
It's taken me years
To become who I am
I'll not change now
No sir, by ****!
I like being me
I am accustomed
To beliefs I've developed
I prefer to trust them
You change if you like
If you've got problems
If you're being chased
By your demons and goblins
Don't expect me to change!
You've got no right!
I'll fuss and I'll fume
I'll put up a fight
You say I'll improve
If I make a change
But your ideas are stupid
To me they sound strange
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
You nagged and you nagged
You wouldn't give up
I finally gave in
Just so you'd shut-up
I hope that you're happy
I took your advise
I made a few changes
They've altered my life
My life is now better
From the ideas you brought
Change ain't so bad
Hmm...
Who would have thought?

Chocolate covered trumpets
Played by Cotton Candy boys
And clarinets dipped in caramel
Make a sweet and sticky noise

There's a parade today in Toffeetown
Praline Street has been cleared
The Bubble Gum Band marches past
As the Root Beer Float draws near

Here is the Candy Apple Cadillac
The Grand Marshall in the back seat
He's waving and throwing out peppermints
Which land at the onlookers feet

The weather could not be more yummy
Warmed by a Creamsicle Sun
Praise God, the clouds are not raining
Or the Queen's Taffy Taffeta would run

And look!  It's the Toffeetown Pep Squad
So funny as they dance, prance, and sing
Performing fantastic maneuvers
On a Cream Pie Trampoline

And now the festivities are ending
The street littered with gum drops and cake
The Jelly Jam Janitor starts sweeping
He'll throw the leftovers in Marzipan Lake

But a great time was had by all
Parades are a lovely invention
Now Toffeetown must prepare
For next week's Dental Convention

so many WARS
so many dead
so many documents
so much unsaid

what can we say?
what WORDS are there?
to explain what has happened
do we really care?

or is it just us?
the HISTORY we bore
the lives that we lead
that take us to war

it's me against you
us against them
turned in on each other
what's there to WIN?

this scrap of land?
that badge of PRIDE?
the need of revenge
for what was denied?

whatever we've done
we have to do more
to learn from MISTAKES
and then close the door

but talk is cheap
and life, not so dear
as to keep us from acting
out of DISTRUST and FEAR

You said that you would love me
As long as the pale moon  did shine
As long as the stars filled the heavens
You said you would always be mine
As long as now and forever
Your love would always be true
As the sun would rise each morning
Your love would always be new

Your love burned like a fire
It burned me to a cinder
Capturing my soul
I could do nothing but surrender

You said I would complete you
As the moments complete the day
As the seasons complete the year
You said you would always stay
As a river constantly moving
Our love would flow to the sea
As unchanging as the mountains
You would love me faithfully

But your love died like a flame
And you left me here to drown
Your "forever" is no more

And the Moon lies in pieces on the ground

I looked into your face
It seemed like any other
There was nothing new to see
Nothing to discover

I looked into your hand
It seemed to pose no threat
No weapon did you hold
I felt safe... but, yet

I looked into your eyes
So sure, and yet so wary
I felt your confidence
Was only temporary

I looked into your heart
I saw your hopes and dreams
Your plans to carry out
Your wishes and your schemes

I looked into your soul
That swirling cosmic chasm
Where only you can see
Your personal phantasm

I looked into your past
And saw a life like mine
Days building into years
Of syncopated rhyme
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Who am I to you?
Who are you to me?
And why can we not cross
This human boundary?