Lori's Song, Let Me Be A Man Before I Die
(This verse is a celebration of goodness and civilization west of 43^rd
St.)
Let me be a man before I die
Ellison was the invisible man
Born quietly to the unseen race
But still, he was a man...
The red man, the unholy terrorist
Lost his hair a little early
Laying down in green pastures
But still, he too was a man...
And soldier boy, our little man
Went so quickly to mother earth
Wrapped warmly in stars and stripes
But still, he also was a man...
Oh Goddess!
Let me be a man before I die!
O cruel is the bright light of time!
When first I opened new eyes wide
And looked about the unburnt orb
I spied a reflection in the glass
And thought I saw a little man
Smiling with innocence and love
He looked like the big creatures
Those with sunken sullen brows.
As I watched the blue eyed creature
It looked whole and bipedal
And like a creation of Job's tormentor
The creature called out loudly
I am free, I am a little man.
O cruel is the bright light of time!
As the calendar marched through wars
Vietnam, Iraq and Iran...
Big creatures, with sunken sullen brows
Seemed to fill the burning orb
And some were called Midas
And they held the scepter and crown.
But no tutor helped me know
That I was a hellish alien thing
Not at all a man.
For as all can plainly see, I,
Unholy infestation, lay west of 43^rd !
Oh Lori, goddess of all that is good
What name have you given this miserable flesh?
Am I the dirt on cleaner safer streets?
Am I the bulls eye in a homeland scope?
A shadow in a darkened cage?
A virus waiting for the cure?
Oh Lori, what hellish thing am I?
You, dear goddess, are the messiah of the good!
Keeper of the precious rings of power
Magician of all that is east of 50^th .
Can you grant one wish born of pity
To these unholy wretched bones?
Then grind me into dust, as your will be done.
Oh Goddess! Oh Lori!
Let me be a man before I die!
Written by an unholy thing with no name, west of 43rd St., July 12, 2010
