Thursday, January 26, 2012

The Son Will Rise

Level 9 quaking, no anticipating destruction as far as the eye can see.
Surging power blackout, lines at the checkout, trains stop.
suddenly
Roads twist like wires, squealing of tires, showers of glass
Gotta stand your ground,
wonder who's been found,
and how long it will last?

Oh Japan aishiteruyo
Find solid ground, ganbarou
I see your weary soul, I see you lose control,
But lift up your eyes,
'Cause in the morning your sun will rise.

Our hearts, our hands are shaking, the lives we built are breaking
breaking
down
The earth tilts on its axis, now the moon never waxes. Darkness all around.
Smoke shrouds the skyline, the children are crying. We can't ignore.
How the waves hit the people leaving only a steeple as waters roar.

Oh Japan aishiteruyo!
Find solid ground, ganbarou
I see your weary soul, I see you lose control,
But lift up your eyes,
'Cause in the morning your sun will rise.

Who can be blamed
for buildings in flames and mass evacuation?
The people who are still here are trembling in such fear and devastation
Still, I have to ask the question why,
tens of thousands had to die?
What do you mean you don't know?
Can we live in trust that
out of this dust that,
something new and beautiful will grow?

Oh Japan aishiteruyo!
Find solid ground, ganbarou
I see your weary soul, I see you lose control,
But lift up your eyes,
'Cause in the morning your sun will rise.

Terrifying aftershocks,
power plants like ticking clocks spewing radiation.
How will we ever unwind
these tangles as we try to find hope for this nation?
Japan, I know you feel destroyed,
like your world has become void, but try to be brave.
I wonder
with houses blown to pieces, will people cry to Jesus to come save?

Oh Japan aishiteruyo!
Find solid ground, ganbarou
I see your weary soul, I see you lose control,
But lift up your eyes,
'Cause in the morning your sun will rise.

Now the months go rolling by, like clouds in the silent sky
We're all “fine.”
But the farmers throw away their crops
People flee faster than morale drops
When will the next one resign?
Has it been so long
We've forgotten all the wrong, and we turn away
Stand up on this cracked street, shake the dust off your feet
Nihon Ganbare!

Friday, January 20, 2012

Too Cool For Cool

Let Me introduce you to the kings of microbrew
Beers, classy lattes and Argo tea too
They'll sink you like Titanic if you don't give them organic,
Free range, free trade—just don't make them panic
They gotta eat light 'cause their jeans are too tight
Welcome to the post-modern hipster plight.

Bodies emaciated, minds inebriated
But they never hated on you, unless you weren't like them.
Toms and Cons alternated with something funky and underrated
These are proudly paraded under a cuffed up hem.
All caffeinated and justice-related
With pricy bags faded, like thrift-store gems.

They like social justice and will gladly discuss this
In a cool little club playing underground tunes
But it's gotta be indie, 'cause that is what's trendy--
If too many know it then they're way too mainstream
Scarf-draped heroes with body mass: zero
Despite the appearance, they're not what they seem

Think society should be leveled, but hair perfectly disheveled,
while snapping photos and black and white stills
Thicker-rimmed glasses separates them from the masses
as well as other unique artsy skills.
Headbands with a T-rex, headphones and V-necks
Don't you know all this protesting won't pay the bills?