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Dawson

Dawson

plans …

outta the gate

gotta have a plan

in place

short-term

long-term

mid-term

gotta have a goal

something to reach

a purpose

a passion

a possibility

it’s what’s expected

ingrained in our psyche

from the time

we can sing

A-Z

there’s a plan

in place

the parent plan

 to graduate

find your place

no parent in the picture

hold up the mirror

look yourself in the face

make that promise

not to break

to keep going and going and going

‘til ya get there …

to that place

pointed toward

and after so long

the day dawns

and they pat ya on the back

and give ya a title, premium parking

keys to the castle

and you’re feeling it

in every fiber

of your being

and the voice inside

is rapping

and all the lights are green

foot on the medal

so fast

the signs are spinning red

but who’s got time to read ‘em

don’t wanna be late

oh, that’s great

just great

traffic jam

must be bad

look out the pane

and the red signs aren’t spinning

and your ride ain’t moving

so you got time

to sit and read ‘em

and they all say the same

STOP

 but the word seems foreign

so you honk your horn

and get on the phone

long as you’re talking

something’s moving

so ya yak and yak and yak

traffic’s backed

patience cracked

then ya hear it

that distant whine

sirens flying

red lights flashing

chopper’s circling

and your mind is moving

backward

all the way back

to when you were happy

really happy

and you look around

then you look down

and your hands are shaking

and you wonder how you got here

musta missed a turn

back there somewhere

now there’s a line

can’t turn around

later that night

you turn on the tube

watch the news

reporters at the scene

nobody made it out

and the widow’s on the street

with her head in her hands

but we had a plan …

TL

Published inTamiko Lowery