There is no government,
there's no one in charge--
no one to protect you
from threats domestic and foreign...
only a system in place
that tries to save face
when the damage is already done.
No pillar of strength standing tall
like the twin towers--
who ever dreamed they'd fall?
No one to save the beaches
or the birds that can no longer fly,
only those who point fingers
while all the beauty dies.
There is no government,
there's no one in charge--
only a system in place
that can put a man into space
while those who make speeches are livin' large.
I hate to be the one to tell you
'cause we've believed in it so long--
gotta stick together
cuz baby, we're on our own!
There is no government,
there's no one in charge--
(like Alexander Haig)
only a system in place
that tries to save face
when the horse
has already left the barn.
Too, too tragic and too too true, Tim.
ReplyDeleteI see a protest song there...know any singers that would get it out there for you?
ReplyDeleteTALON,
ReplyDeleteCould there be any other explanation?
TERI,
Hmmmm...I think Barry McGuire is retired!
I remember back in the eighties, I used to listen to a fellow by the name of Michael Benner. He had public affairs late night-early morning program on probably the #1 rock radio station in Los Angeles at the time.
ReplyDeleteHe used to say then, "How bad does it have to get before people start waking up?" Well, pretty bad, I guess.
Sue
SUE,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment! Think of how long ago that was, and we still haven't woken up yet!
Kind of makes you wonder why we even bother to pay taxes, doesn't it? Oh yeah, the whole throw you in jail thing...
ReplyDeleteBy the way, the poem is such a contrast to your new, happy theme!
ReplyDeletemy commment went away again, don't know where maybe somewhere where it will do good, we have to do things before it's too late, we must nurture earth the way it nurtures us, nobody's that blind, not even teenagers who run goverments..stop the nonsense or die, how much death to they and we have to see before we actually share in the blame and start making earth well again...
ReplyDeleteVery timely post, Tim. Hey, maybe Joan Baez would be interested and it could revive her career? Or Tracey Chapman? Neil Young?
ReplyDeleteWow, I'm really out of touch with today's music as I can't think of who is today's voice of societal malcontent. Who is today's Bob Dylon?
ReplyDeleteOh, and just so you know, I know there's no such word as societal! I made up my own phrase for society and government being disconnected.
ReplyDeleteKOBICO,
ReplyDeleteMy new design does look a little cheerier than before, I think. But as far a content goes, I always try to call it as I see it. :)
LORRAINE,
Well, it's all about the greed of the oil companies, and how they kept the electric car off the market for so long. Let's face it, if greed wasn't something so inherent in the human condition, we wouldn't be seeing this debacle unfolding right now!
LINDA,
Those are all good artists to express this sentiment, but I think I would choose Peter, Paul, and Mary--except that Mary recently passed on.
There isn't really anybody I can think of in today's YOUNGER generation that knows enough about questioning authority (you needed to live through the sixties for that) to be an effective spokesperson.
The Lady Ga Ga types are only about attracting attention to THEMSELVES with bizarre costumes and behavior--think what a platform they would have if they actually cared enough to speak out. Tiger Woods was a prime example of that. Everybody would have listened to him, (whether he knew what he was talking about or not) but he never uttered a peep about changing the world--didn't want to alienate his sponsors. (He found a way to do it, anyway!)
There are so many famous people who could be in the forefront of movements for change, and who could help galvanize others, but it looks like only a grassroots movement is going to accomplish anything. Guess I'll stop because maybe I should turn these ideas into a post!
By the way, "societal" IS a word. Just means of or having to do with society. So you're cool, baby...you're cool...
I could go into this so deeply... .
ReplyDeleteAgain I say:
__When people turn and walk away, their leaders will follow.
__That time, I believe, has arrived... "The
Regaining."
DOUG,
ReplyDeleteI hear you. We are so inept as a society--possessing all the power in our hands and refusing to use it--the leaders can do nothing--have no power whatsoever if the people do not follow and agree to what they're doing..but we've become so apathetic that we just allow whatever happens to happen.
'only a system in place
ReplyDeletethat tries to save face
when the damage is already done.'
That's the problem in a nutshell. So sad. That kind of attitude will be how the people of the 21st century will be remembered.
It's a tragedy - we have so much to offer as a civilisation yet we waste our time playing with our iPhones or chatting about celebrities on various social media sites. It really is a crying shame.
My heart aches for those poor, beautiful birds....
"while all the beauty dies".....sadly, oh so true. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteHope there will be an overall attitude sea change. Putting out hope and energy, as contained in this poem, will speed the tide.
ReplyDelete