We started lying about not actually dying,
and in the wars over those ideas
fueled by spite and anarchy
we discovered the power of fear
and controlling our imagination
is worth far more than laughter or tears
(even whisky or beer)
"Tiara Derby" - a musical in three cities
all of us curtseyed, all of us bowed
our sweet Moronia sang mezzo-soprano
as we quilted, the curtains came down
While looking through sewers expecting great cures
we became harder to heal
we lived through things that should have killed us
twice over before we could feel
that now we line up, presenting with pain
and take turns being guards for a meal
(fuck us up with such zeal)
"Magnolia Cottage" - a mystery, three murders
might not have read it, but we watched it twice
mesmered by mellow Miss Anthrosia
bent over shadows, twisting in lights
(instrumental)
We started arguing with our teachers' agreeing
that we learned without taking a test
our confidence buttressed by our attitude
we poured it all out of our breasts
we were trumpeting by our degrees that
our worst work could pass with their best
(and piss on all the rest)
"Oh How I Loved You" - a poem in three indices
we learned to rhyme, we forgot our reason
our darling Stefonia walked through our dreams
our Queen for all our seasons
And then we started to believe our fictions
and preferred them to the world kept at bay
we moved away from the rigors of study
and let ignorance hold us in sway
and via neuroses or our psychoses
we still hide from reality today
(whatever you say)
We moved away from happiness
in our denial
of the simple truth's obviousness
Death is final
