almost half the people in manhattan

almost half the people
in manhattan
live alone
that means no one's there
to greet them
when they come home
which means that manhattan's 
the place for me
'cause alone is all I want to be
all the statistics 
and college degrees
have shown
almost half the people 
in manhattan 
live alone

oh, just imagine
the life in manhattan
I'd lead
I hear in manhattan
bike messengers
deliver weed
(yes indeed)
there's lots of great plays
on off-broadway to see
and I'll just buy one ticket
'cause it's only me
no one will care
if I wear
inexpensive cologne
'cause half the people
in manhattan live alone

          the other half has problems
          I'll never have to face
          
to be continued…

a kind man

the workday was over
there was nothing to do
I put my feet on the table
and opened the news
when I saw your photo
it leaped out at me
amid all the other
obituaries

(another verse goes here, but I don't know what it is yet)

and it read:
he was a kind man
he did the best he could
he raised two sons and a daughter
and he raised them good
he was honest, ain't no lie
he always looked you in the eye
and always tried 
to understand
he was a kind man

right where I am

if there's a mistake to be made
I'll make it
a chance that I could be afraid
I'll take it
I'm closing the windows
locking the doors
I ain't going out
in the world no more
I'm gonna do the best I can
I'm staying right where I am

if there's a way to get out of bed
I don't need it
a book of advice to be read
I won't read it
I'm staying ignorant
I'm staying naive
I'm staying indoors
and I ain't gonna leave
I'm gonna make my stand
staying right where I am

          don't call me on the telephone
          can't you see nobody's home?
          I don't want no social media
          get outta here, I don't need ya

if you're trying hard to help
try harder
I need to be by myself
I'm a martyr
'cause I've been through enough
it's plain to see
you're just another person
who'll give up on me
you just don't understand
I'm staying right where I am
nobody gives a damn
I'm staying right where I am

emma

emma counts the tablets
one by one
and places them
in a pink plastic pillbox
grandma's arthritis 
in her hands
makes it difficult
for her to do it anymore
so emma comes each wednesday
after school
just a journey
of a few blocks
fingers usually work better
when you're fifteen
compared to eighty-four

in the name of

in the name of the cause
in the name of the people
in the name of god
in the name of the future
in the name of our children
in the name of humanity
in the name of justice
in the name of honor
in the name of belief
in the name of peace
in the name of love
you have spread your disease
I'm looking for answers
enlighten me, please

so how did it feel
when you turned on the camera
to capture the moment
when your prisoner died?
at that very split-second
when the state executioner
performed the beheading
what did it feel like inside?
did you feel like a hero?
did you feel like a man?
did you feel holy?
help me understand
the motives behind
this madness I'm seeing
did you feel, 
for one second,
like a human being?
did you feel, 
for one second,
like a human being?

forget about religion
forget about wealth
forget about borders
tell me about yourself
do you have a home?
kids and a wife?
is your family safe?
tell me about your life
do you ever feel lonely?
are you ever afraid?
c'mon, now, justify
the decisions you've made
do you have a conscience?
is it holy and clean?
do you feel, 
for one second,
like a human being?
do you feel, 
for one second 
like a human being?

in the name of James Foley
in the name of Daniel Pearl
in the names of the innocent
all over the world
in the name of Steven Sotloff
in the name of David Haines
explain exactly
how you got this way?
in the name of the families
that get left behind
explain exactly
what goes on in your mind
as you frame every shot
as you shoot every scene
do you ever ask 
yourself what it means?
when you hear your heart beating
does it sound like a scream?
do you feel, 
for one second,
like a human being?
do you feel, 
for one second,
like a human being

in the name of everything
honest and true
I hope somehow
there's a chance 
that you do

a sad, sad story

you know sometimes how you can't catch a break
and when it rains it pours
well, that's the way it's been my whole life long
you know how they say you learn by mistakes
and that life should be explored?
I'm here to prove them wrong
my life has been a sad, sad story
I'm someone you should be ignoring
this old joke is getting boring
on this everyone can agree
I'm earning my PhD
in self pity

sure I'll find out

he said
I'm not as free as you think I am
I've got worries you wouldn't believe
I swear, everyone I've ever known
thinks that I can pull magic
right out of my sleeve
and magic, to everyone I've ever known,
is spelled M-O-N-E-Y
how can I feel so low
when my stocks and investments
are so sinfully high
I don't know
I'm sure I'll find out though