No Surprise

Written 1995

Tab

some divide the world into dark and light, like laundry
some divide the world into heroes and bad guys
some look at this world to see one never-ending quandry
it’s no surprise…

all the tired towns I know turn beautiful at nighttime
the alleys and the factories assume a quiet grace
tired people, too, will still surprise you at the right time
it’s no disgrace…
+++ some days I half-expect the bomb to fall
+++ some days I curl into a tiny ball
+++ make myself small, so I can hide away
+++ wake me up before it gets too late
+++ take me out into the daylight
+++ make me see you there…

by our old house stands a tree we planted as a seedling
20-some years later, and it’s grown past 30 feet
across the way the flow’ring peach is still as small as ever
that’s no defeat…

some divide the world into black and white, like newsprint
some divide the world into good and bad and worse
but I have learned the words I choose all stick to me like lint
it’s not a curse… it’s just the way things work
+++ some days I half-expect the bomb to fall
+++ some days I curl into a tiny ball
+++ make myself small, so I can hide away
+++ wake me up before it’s way too late
+++ take me out into the daylight
+++ make me see you there
+++ I’ve gotta see you there
+++ it’s no surprise…

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