Okay, close your eyes. Imagine a gently strummed acoustic guitar and a ukulele with finger-snaps as the accompaniment to this. Mostly major chords and a lullaby-type feel and softness. Maybe birds tweeting, a la “Loving You” By Minnie Ripperton. Shh. Peaceful. So serene.
NOW OPEN YOUR EYES.
This is what you see upon awaking.
Industrial Protocols Temporarily Suspended
I’m gonna let my mind wander where it wants to go
Just one time
I’m gonna think about the yes when it should really be no
Just one time
There ain’t no reason you and I could ever be
Just one time
But I’m gonna pretend you’re saying yes to being here with me
Just one time
And when I’m finished with my dreaming, non-productive inefficiency away from the machine
Imagine sunsets, holding hands, growing old, raindrops and playing under shady trees
I’ll step back into this colorless world
I’ll wake myself up to this empty land
I’ll keep a tight grip on my emotions like I should
I’ll put this mask back on and promise I’ll be good.
I’m gonna clear my head and think about those satin ties
Just one time
Roped together in a holy union of Earth and the Skies
Just one time
There’s a bond that we share and you know that it can’t be denied
Just one time
But we shouldn’t have to be the ones ashamed and terrified
Just one time
And when we wake up in the cold gray light of unlit day and pretend it never was
We’ll go right back to work in the straitjacket uniform and punch the clock like everybody else does
We’ll step back into this colorless world
We’ll wake ourselves up to this empty land
We’ll keep a tight grip on our emotions like we should
We’ll put the mask back on and promise we’ll be good.
words and pictures © Christopher Ward. All rights reserved.
