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