Madness

swooping down low
hoping you won't know
that's the way it works
what is it all about
what is IT all about
what what is IT
what IS IT all about
standing right in front of you
recognizable but invisible
that's the way they are
and that's the way it works
by hiding nothing
they hope you won't see
the empty transparency
they are full of emptiness
they surround themselves
with themselves
strength in numbers
like a school of fish
controlled outnumbering
scales on a plate on a dish

they post it
to pretend it
to show they care
so leave it
like it leaves you
wrung out and strung out
hung out to dry
hung up in the air
a dangling participle
flying high again
way up high again
without a care
and running fast
never moving
never getting away
trying different things
trying every day
always abusing
the things that you're using
be sure when you're choosing
that you're not losing
and/or abusing
the very thing you need
and never negotiate out of fear
but never fear to negotiate
everything has its price
remember why you're here
when colours disappear
you'll see when they all fade away
black and white become grey
you need a bit more light
so do as night does
steal from the day
when your heart beats loud inside your head
as you lie in bed wishing you were dead
when there's nothing left to do
take stock dig deep you cannot lose
take what you need it's yours to use
and if the world begins to shake
if you feel you're going to fall
don't get too close but stand tall
so many chances and opportunities
but who's keeping score
how does it feel to be here again
here and so near again
how does it feel to be wrong again
no jumping to conclusions
don't get ahead of yourself
there's a method to all madness
so retrace your steps
but don't look back
find the step you missed
a step you took
or didn't take
one slight
might have led to all this
like being betrayed with a kiss
in the midst of all the madness

Clock

at the point where it won't stretch any more
to the right then to the left and back again
imagine if it were as easy as a shift and slide
moving the old things from side to side
clothes in a pile like shed skin on the floor
all but forgotten behind the closet door
wash the dirt off shed this blanket of filth
so you can see me naked now let me see you
pull and stretch me, touch me and explore me
like a gentle cavity search then more intense
ripped open and torn down like a fence
expanding on the inside and pulling outside
tearing me apart looking for my heart
the piece of the puzzle you broke at the start
the pendulum swings slower and slower
the more time ticks away the louder we shout
the louder we shout the quicker time runs out
to the point where there is no more time left
shake the clock to get one more tick
and hope like hell to get the tock
days and weeks then years fly by
life is short and time keeps moving on
with some left it's the last thing on your mind
but when it runs out you're watching the clock
finally knowing what seconds mean
lying still I feel the rain of your tears
wash away the years wash this body clean
captured in pictorial symphony
remembered in words that came to me
I wish for happiness to come from this
shake it the clock won't tick any more
shake it like you did before
shake it the clock won't tick any more
shake it like you did before shake it
shake it shake it wind it shake it
shake it I guess there is no more