“Go Figure,” a poem about war and peace

This thing about war

Gives to people ev’rywhere

A nervous system embracin’ fear

Of those people faraway accused

Of makin’ other people disappear

So state condemned

Are all souls here and there

To lose their very derrieres

 

Go figure

Gotta send our soldier kids straight home

Before they get there

Before

Straight home

Before

Straight home

Before they get there

Before

Before

 

Before

This thing about bein’ caged

Gives to people ev’rywhere

Who share a closet not engaged

In solitary’s frozen fire

Thawed out they get enraged

So ex-convicts stay unhired

’til death do’em part

Without a good wage

 

Go figure

Gotta operate to heal

Incarcerate the bastille

Make it schools to jobs

Not the iron heal

Gotta make it real

Make it make it real

Make it schools to jobs

Schools to jobs

Gotta make it

Make it

Make it

 

Make it

This thing about the ladder

Gives to people ev’rywhere

A bottom rung to get leaner

A top rung to get fatter

Short-term at bottom

Can’t get any meaner

Long-term on top

Is a silver platter

That’s not for beans and wieners

Cuz it’s altitude that matters

High crimes not misdemeanors

 

Go figure

Gotta make room for all at the table  

So ditch the friggin’ ladder

Ditch it

To make room for all

Room for all

Gotta ditch that ladder

Ditch it

Ditch it

To make room for all

Room for all

So there’s room for all

Gotta make plenty of room for all

[2014]

Balloons carrying a peace flag, released during a 2003 anti-war demonstration in Copenhagen, Denmark. (CC)