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Iron Birds
written by: Tim Gallagher
finished 09-12-2000
I stood still, the other day
On the top of a great high hill
Up into the blue they flew away
Merlin's iron birds with wings
These heavy beasts, defying gravity
Up in the breeze, and the blue sky
The passengers talk of white and blue
The pilot talks of gauges and dials
The passengers talk of breezy cloud meadows
The pilot talks of rudders and ailerons
Merlin still stands, watching the sky
Watching the iron birds give birth
100, 200, now a thousand, thousand thousand
Too many birds to count
The poet stands, still, watching
Wondering where the art, the beauty
Wondering why peanuts instead of meals
Wondering why dollars, instead of sense
The dark plumes of smoke
Coming out of the iron wings
Looks dark and dangerous
Like a back-alley in the city
The passengers talk of fluffy water
The pilot talks of parachutes and danger
The passengers talk of life and love
The pilot talks of death and despair
Suddenly, the plume grows
Darker and brighter all at once
Smoke, sparks, and fire belching
From the iron birds in the sky
A great big cloud of dust, and smoke
Flames rage, the iron bird screams
Or rather, the passengers are screaming
Merlin looks on with inquisitive eyes
After the fire has burned out
Merlin approaches the scene cautiously
Not wanting to admit his failure
Not seeing the lives sacrificed to his dreams
Merlin's magic has failed
The smoke still rises to the sky
Up to the breezy cloud meadows
He gives us an explanation
Merlin always has an explanation
He's never wrong, just "almost"
"Almost had it there."
Next time will be perfect
Merlin doesn't understand:
Life is more precious
Than progress will ever be
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1990 - 2010 BY TIM GALLAGHER.
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