as one door slams closed another opens
the thump of the one precedes the squeak of the other
there is no place to stand between the handle and the wood
to squeeze into that space can never do any good
time waits for no man, so wait not for time
return the favour with confident grace
listen to its footsteps and be sure to keep pace
it’s all very much like reality TV according to the script
the more you buy into it the more you get ripped
democracy, democracy, if you please
the very thought of you brings me to my knees
I see and hear the groundswell of the masses beyond
it makes me question the path we are on
it’s this rule of thumb that renders me numb
that executive choice is offered to everyone
to escape from the regime of the previous hater
we lower decision making power to the lowest common denominator
capitalising on our primitive need to feel we belong
we are led in a hopeful chorus, a most pitiful song
and we dance to the promises based on stories we’re told
of a life in the future, far away from the struggles of old
but we need something to believe, and believe it we do
so we fall in a trap set for me and for you
the masses subdued, suppressed and confused
raise an uneducated voice, keeping ourselves amused
believing we can decide on the great master plan
we sell our souls and those of our children to some unscrupolous man
who smiles on the TV, the posters, and waves to the crowds
yet hugs with a blade in his hand when he wraps his arms round
and the warmth that we feel as we embrace this venomous man
is the life blood that we bleed at his murderous hand
but he’ll smile once more again and wave to the crowd
dance and sing songs of freedom, getting frighteningly loud
to silence our thinking, and the pain that we feel
pointing to a far away future that grows more and more unreal
once there was an international soccer league
this league had many soccer teams
but there was no soccer ball
someone had to win the trophy
so they kicked each other to death
this poem rhymes
only if you’re a winner
the faithful skeptic 