Shije

“Long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man, the People have abdicated our duties; for the People who once upon a time handed out military command, high civil office, legions — everything, now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: bread and circuses.” — Juneval A.D. 100

These are the days of wine and roses
of elegant lies
of media poses

and if the poor
can’t give more than they take
let them die in the streets, let them all eat cake

for today is the day
of the game of kings
of which Cláudia and fat Pitbull sing

so let them hide in the favelas
fearing for their lives, or
so live-streams tell us
hide in plain sight, un-show the world
poor Brazil’s plight

because the party must go on
to sell those commercials
for Chevy and Ford, & to pay JLo’s rehearsals

Nero
and his bread and circus
can’t touch Brazil’s teargas and all that hurts us,
this is on a grander scale
deaths that are not reported
and reporters beaten in jail

but let’s film from the beach and show TV a smile
the game is on
it only la$t$ for awhile

“… iam pridem, ex quo suffragia nulli uendimus, effudit curas; nam qui dabat olim imperium, fasces, legiones, omnia, nunc se continet atque duas tantum res anxius optat, panem et circenses.”

(Juvenal, Sátiras X, 77–81)

Fly

You can
cry with the saints or
laugh with the fools,
be your own personal Judas
and break the golden rule

It doesn’t matter anyway,
I know you’re gonna fly away

You can soar with the wings of eagles,
ride with the doves
reaching into the heavens
calling out for love

You can fly high
into your piece
into your piece
into your piece of the blue sky

You can
live your life in detention or
just be on time to school,
worry about memory retention and
obey all the rules
You can
question all the answers or
be a “good girl”
stick with “the winners” or
be your own personal world

It doesn’t matter anyway,
I know you’re gonna fly away

You can soar with the wings of eagles,
ride with the doves
reaching into the heavens
crying out for love

You can fly high
into your piece
into your piece
into your piece of the blue sky

You can soar with the wings of eagles,
ride with the doves
reaching into the heavens
calling out for love

You can fly high, fly
into your piece of the blue sky

It doesn’t matter anyway,
I know you’re gonna fly away

You can soar with the wings of eagles,
ride with the doves
reaching out into the heavens
calling out for love

You can fly high, fly
into your piece of the blue sky

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I’m begging of you please don’t take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don’t take him just because you can
Your beauty is beyond compare
With flaming locks of auburn hair
With ivory skin and eyes of emerald green

Your smile is like a breath of spring
Your voice is soft like summer rain
And I just cannot compete with you, Jolene

He talks about you in his sleep
There’s nothing I can do to keep
From crying when he calls your name, Jolene

And I can easily understand
How you could easily take my man
But you don’t know what he means to me, Jolene

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don’t take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don’t take him just because you can

You could have your choice of men
But I will never love again
He’s the only one for me, Jolene

I had to have this talk with you
My happiness depends on you
Whatever you decide to do, Jolene

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I’m begging you please don’t take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don’t take him just because you can

Spring in the sunshine
The trees have gone to popcorn
An airplane flies by

Sol primavera
Palomitas de árbol
Un avión vuela

There is a town in north Ontario,
With dream comfort memory to spare,
And in my mind
I still need a place to go,
All my changes were there

Blue, blue windows behind the stars,
Yellow moon on the rise,
Big birds flying across the sky,
Throwing shadows on our eyes
Leave us

Helpless, helpless, helpless
Baby can you hear me now?
The chains are locked
and tied across the door,
Baby, sing with me somehow

Blue, blue windows behind the stars,
Yellow moon on the rise,
Big birds flying across the sky,
Throwing shadows on our eyes
Leave us

Helpless, helpless, helpless