© 2002/2003  William Benjamin Stuart

Land of Communion (The Elysian Café)

(a song)

V1:

In the corner of the bar

a sad-sack angel is crying gin tears

as the mother of a saint

croons-out her fears in blues and smoke.

And the man they call "The Bear"

is dancing to the jukebox tunes,

but he don't care what anyone's got to say

about that.

Refrain:

Now, some say only the devil

can have a good time,

but even Jesus drank the water

once it was wine.

And sometimes, self-medication

equals self-preservation.

So, just be careful, kick-back,

relax and keep feeling fine.

V2:

So, Billy the barkeep,

he pours another round,

calls a cab for Charlene

and her drunkard of the week.

And the sad, the lonely,

the weak, the meek and the homely:

they all come here to get away,

they come to this place

called the Elysian Café.

(Return to Refrain)

Coda:

So, if you need to get away,

c'mon down to the Elysian Café.

Kick-back, relax,

 dream a dream

and share in the reverie

at the Elysian Café.

Good Chaos

There's a great tension right now

-not anger or discontent

(nowhere near either, really),

but anxiety

mixed with a raging sense

of excitement and promise.

We

      were

               just two

-struggling at times,

but secure in life and love

and home and finances

(well, most of the time).

Yet,

        now

                there's a bud

growing to a blossom

in your belly-womb

-that belly I kiss

and, speaking to,

all "Lilly" or "Micah"

depending on the day's inclination.

And we know this blessing

will blow-up our world

and we sandbag and fortify our life

in anticipation

of the impact...

...and we smile

                          -shovels in hand.

Ambivalent

(a song)

Well, I've got The Garden

and The Tree

-both of them there, inside of me.

I've got saints and serpents

and rainbows and nails

-I've been called "Judas" and I want to be Moses.

But I know the truth

and I ain't anywhere close to who

I want to or should be.

Refrain:

'Cause

Jesus weren't no bourgeoisie

and Sidhartha forfeited his gilded seat

and Mohamed wouldn't let folks see

his face for fear that Grace

would be misconstrued

as human action.

Fruits of good, fruits of evil

-both of them have dropped their seed

into the stony field of my heart.

And as they grow,

you know, one vine chokes

the next.

So,

when they ripen

it's a tough fix.

(Return to Refrain)

Rap:

I rage against the technology I use,

the society I live in, give in to.

And if it's true

that I want to be closer to God,

then I'd would be

if I were a clod:

dumb, numb

or with broken body

-driving a shoddy car,

searching far and wide

for enough bread to eat:

performing menial and mystical feats

as I'd seek connection

(past my disaffection)

-treating folks like kings

and singing and off-key song

of liberty.

-A song sung for those

who've won less than the best:

the ton of people who've got no place to rest

(their faces red with discomfort).

Oh, the reality

of the unheard calamities

experienced by the myriad individuals

who are ridiculed

by the culture to which I belong.

And because I'm stronger than some

(though weaker than most),

I've got to do my best not to boast

and just get on with bridging the gulf.

I've got to face facts

and race to act

for and toward equality

for all the brothers and sisters

within this human family,

but sadly,

it's easier said than done

'cause...

(Return to Refrain, Repeat: End)

(You, The Illustration of...)

Creative Genius/Cosmic Forces

You are the

(present)

origin of

(this/our/our peculiar)

species.

You are the

(particular)

wellspring of

(this/our/our specific)

life

                                                                           -made/constructed/stitched-together and perfected

by His LOVE

within in our Love

and your belly.

Right now,

as you are

fragile and exceptionally strong

(whether or not you perceive it/whether or not I exhibit it)

you are the

center

(of this/my/our)

world.

And the gravity

of your heavenly body

draws me closer

to you...

(see more)

All work is copyrighted property of William Benjamin Stuart.

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