I fell asleep one day
Where the air was nice and cool
Then I woke
And found myself in another world
It looked like my own
With the same people I love
And the same places I go
Except the sun was boiling
And I thought I was on Tatooine
Now I sleep every night
Hoping I wake back up on earth
‘Cause this heat is just too much
Old man, old man
With your bald head
And gray eyes
With bent back and wrinkled hands
What have you seen?
What have you done?
Did your eyes watch as Pearl Harbor burned
Did your ears hear the reports of ships lost?
Did your hands till the earth?
Did your voice call for peace?
Did you grow up during The War to End all Wars?
Did you fight in the Korean war?
Did you protest Vietnam
Did you cheer at the Olympics
Tell me, old man
What have you seen
What have you done
Have you cried at a child’s death
Cheer as they walked down the aisle
Did you marvel at men on the moon
Did you weep at the Fall of the Trade Towers
Did you celebrate the fourth with loved ones
Did you wish your wife love today?
Tell me, old man
What can you share with me
What can you teach me
What can you tell me
Old man, old man
You have lived far longer than I
Can you tell me of your journey
Can you tell me of your life
The world has burned
The nations have fallen
The rise of machine
Has come and gone
The wasteland now lies
Where forests once thrived
The people live
not in cities great or small
But in homes that move
Across barren fields
And dried oceans
In metal shells
Some said the end had come
Others thought hope yet lived
Many waited for their turn to come
Yet for most the world went on
Trees grew in moving cities
And rain fell as it always has
The world went on
Life adapts and grew
Machines carried humanity
Across land and sea
Keeping them safe
Keeping life alive
Yet the world went on
And life returned
Forests returned
Oceans filled
Yet creatures of today
Were fell and lethal
So life continues
Not in sprawling cities
But in rolling fortresses
The world had ended
And a new one was born
If you see a tree of silver and red
Beware beware what lives inside
Lay no ax to its bark
Light no fire within its sight
Least you wake what lives within
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Television
Internet
People
Signs on the streets
People talking
Ads in the paper
So much noise
So many messages
All around us
Where can I go
Where the silence is
Where the noise is gone
Messages
Posts
Tweets
Breaking news
Press releases
Trending fads
All around us
Constantly filling my ears
A thunder that won’t stop
All around are the messages
That people want us to hear
That people think we need to know
All the noise in the world
And I can’t hear a thing
I need the silence to think
So I can answer the questions
Three Knights stood before the King
Three Knights stood wearing armor
The First shone with silver polish
The Second was dull with rust
The Third battered and dented
The First was proud
And looked down on his fellow
Sharp was his blade
No stain upon helm or shield
The second was bored and cared not
Dull was his blade
Parts of his armor was hung by threads
The last was tired
Armor patched and repaired
Sword scored and scratched but still sharp
The King stood and asked
“How many battles have you fought?”
“How many have you defended?”
The First spoke, clear and smoothly:
“Many battles have I waged and won them all.
I defended any and all.
None doubt my sincerity.
Then the Second Spoke
“I have battled more than He.
Many years have I traveled.
I have fought for king and lord.
The last spoke slowly
I have not battled many
Nor have I won the fight
I have not always defended
Nor have I fought as hard as I could
Then the King said
“Take ten steps forward.”
The First moved
His armor creaked
And he walked awkwardly
Unused to the weight
The Second moved as well
But his armor screeched and groaned
As metal ground against metal
He moved stiffly as his armor protest
The Third move slowly
His armor made no noise
His steps were sure and smooth
The King sat and looked upon each
To the First He said
“A hundred thousand battles you waged
Yet you fought over things that mattered little
You fought battles that you never had to fight
You cared for how you looked and were received
Rather than what good you did
Caring only to be seen that you care
Rather than doing the work that was needed
Depart from me, for I do not know you”
To the Second He said
“Thrice as many battles have you waged
For every fight, you saw you took.
For you cares about the fight and not for the reason
You battled and fought
But never took the time to learn and grow
To care for those whom you fought
Caring only to be right.”
To the Third He said
“Long have you fought and struggled.
Often had you forgotten Me,
Seeking to win on your own strength.
Yet you have remembered Me.
Yet you have learned from your past,
Seeking to be better for me rather than yourself.
Well done, my faithful servant.
Three Knights stand in a row
One shined with light
One stood with rust covered
One scored with age
Little Bird, Little Bird
Sitting on tree branch
Tweeting all the night long
Why do you sing of sorrow?
Why do you sing of sadness?
Little Bird, Little Bird
Hidden in the shrub
Why does your song speak of pain?
Why does your song speak of loneliness?
Little Bird, Little Bird
Way above my head
Why do your songs bring me tears
Why do your songs bring me sorrow?
Little Human, Little Human
Standing all alone
My songs are made for you
Little Human, Little Human
Sitting in the corner
You hear what is in your soul
I sing of the hurt you hold deep within
I sing of the loneliness you will not admit
I sing of the pain of the loss you feel
I sing so that you can hear
What you cannot say
To hear that you are not alone
I sing so that you know
That you can say what is within
That the pain will pass
Little Human, Little Human
Hold a little longer
Stay true a little more
Little Human, Little Human
One day things will change
On that day you will hear me sing
Of the joy you found
Of the peace you hold
Of the friend you make
Little Human, Little Human
You are cared for
You are seen
You are not forgotten
