Willow Walk

to the angry land

who knows the journeys taken by the just

over the saddened earth to find true light

and not be blinded by the sudden sight

of the fair city rising from the dust

when once is passed the desert of distrust

and all have gone through the last sleepless night

cold lacking comfort knowing that the right

answer was coming that is human trust

each is ambassador to the new realm

where equal rulers crudely give reply

to those who cannot truly understand

the forces that will subtly overwhelm

the ragged armies of the ancient lie

and so bring justice to the angry land

what the butcher does

the job before us is to chop the hog

into constituent parts and serve the meat

to all the hungry cut up into neat

easily cooked servings none for the dog

but plenty to be seared upon the log

given a thorough and sufficient heat

and then served up for all the poor to eat

spreading good warmth throughout the cold and fog

so much is duty and the common task

of ordinary service and the name

we give is cruel but the purpose just

to do the action that good heart may ask

of any decent players of the game

who know the meanings of both light and trust

after catullus

call me a wimp and you will be a wreck

you stupid lad who tells tales out of school

just say the word i'll break your fucking neck

you seemed to think that nobody would check

the things you said that everything was cool

call me a wimp and you will be a wreck

you'll be destroyed naught left no single speck

and all they'll note is you were one more tool

just say the word i'll break your fucking neck

don't think i won't don't think i give a heck

for who you are or all the lies you drool

call me a wimp and you will be a wreck

so now you're silent now you hit the deck

full up with fear you've figured out the rule

just say the word i'll break your fucking neck

you have to understand that not a fleck

of pity will you get since you're the fool

call me a wimp and you will be a wreck

just say the word i'll break your fucking neck

the impact of old lies

the rain is over and sad clouds have passed

beyond the mountain to the hidden sea

where all our stillness has its time to be

acknowledged understood measured at last

but we the analysts are yet aghast

at all the pain of those who did not flee

the ultimate temptation that we see

in the hard present that is never past

obey the rules and that way you get by

the lesson taught almost from time of birth

is not sufficient to persuade the wise

they must ignore the message in each eye

the ruddy signal that comes down to earth

and dissipates the impact of old lies

the final state

all hearts are filled with horror and with dread

we've hit the boundary of human reach

out here in the republic of the dead

there's no necessity to get ahead

once we have heard the words of the last speech

all hearts are filled with horror and with dread

for this we struggled long to earn our bread

and bowed low as the vile old friars preach

out here in the republic of the dead

where are are equal in the weight of lead

but none will listen as the poor beseech

all hearts are filled with horror and with dread

at every sound that penetrates the head

while silent men walk up and down the beach

out here in the republic of the dead

where none dare speak and all the good are fled

and what we learnt no one could ever teach

all hearts are filled with horror and with dread

out here in the republic of the dead

at the finland station

we cannot grasp the current situation

our hands are not quite equal to the task

and comrade lenin's at the finland station

all sense has gone from leaders of the nation

while generals have all dived into flask

we cannot grasp the current situation

but know that it's no cause for celebration

as we have reached the bottom of the cask

and comrade lenin's at the finland station

we tried to impose rules of segregation

but found that there were things we could not ask

we cannot grasp the current situation

the masses do not give us admiration

while idle rulers on far beaches bask

and comrade lenin's at the finland station

we find there is no true accommodation

they've seen the monster face behind the mask

we cannot grasp the current situation

and comrade lenin's at the finland station

beyond the upper bound

there is no hope beyond the upper bound

of normal understanding where all mirth

fades into nonsense decent folk of worth

demand some movement onto higher ground

and are not angered at the empty sound

of foolish entities announcing birth

into a world of vacancy and dearth

of absence both astounding and profound

so when we choose against the very grain

of normal love and standardizing time

there is a point when each must hold the line

reject all silly choices and the stain

that comes when every turn must lead to crime

instead look up and note the noble sign