Have You Experienced...True Serenity?
Have you ever been to the west side of town
and seen what the shadows hide?
On the streets, a city broken down
the racist wars where the gangs reside?
The prostitutes who see no other way
the drug dealers who sell death to kids
some police won't even go through there
afraid they'd be open for bids
a name from a hat, who'll fire the shot
good thing the cruisers have bullet-proof glass
little ones with no shoes in mid winter
crack-moms, dying slow, living fast
worried about sitting in front of the window
to see the sunset or to watch the rain
no food in the refrigerator, no water on
no heat, no blankets, breathing frosty pain
another hooker lay in the street cut up
a razor causes deep wounds if fought
some weird fantasy turned bad out of hand
all for a Ben Franklin, who'd have thought?
but she'll drag herself up to go buy her drug
to heal the bruises and enable amnesia
to live on for just one more night
for a Frank, she'll do anything to please ya.
Have you ever seen the look on a face when death is near?
Have you ever wallowed elbow deep in blood and fear?
in shadows where no rainbow can live
this society sheltered, no concern to give
only wake to the day, claiming serenity and peace
embracing such light, dooming shadows to decease
Are they stupid or merely blind?
Even false light casts shadows of a kind
but in a phallic glow it's hard to find
what has never been allowed to enter the mind
to stand in the shadows of the world's reality
to know that there is sorrow in God's sea
makes me feel very lucky when I look at me
so how is it you can be so sheltered,
and claim to know true serenity?