Inside Around The World
He was born in China
Only child of State parents
His struggles unseen – unheard of
Tea and a man
Holding his hand
Blindfold, muffler
Inside a square
Coming of age at thirteen
Heavy weight on his back
Birds and bees all around him
Confusion is company instead
So she decided to move to Iran
On a flying carpet, she said
But found herself in a desert
Alone, couldn’t find her own clan
Daddy doesn’t call him by her name
Mommy ‘s busy with her many fans
She, I – both faces covered in shame
Show me a place where I can close my eyes
Where I can be a child
Where I can sleep at night
Show me a place where I can’t be found
By those who claim
That I am safe and sound
Russia’s good place to live, he thought
And spend the rest of his life in despair
So once again he flew out
Of his body, of his mind – oh, so scared
But soon he realized
That the square was all red
Don’t love thy neighbor, oh no
Bomb him! His blood must be shed!
Show me a place where I can close my eyes
Where I can be a child
Where I can sleep at night
Show me a place where I can’t be found
By those who claim
That I am safe and sound
There is nowhere to be, he said
In this life of mine
I need to find a place to expire
Far away, perimeter mined
He took a look at the map
And replied with a nod
This is the place to rest
Where no one is allowed in
And all trespassers are shot
As soon as he arrived at the peninsula
He headed north for his final home
Borders protected, no one in sight
Hasn’t he been there all his life?
Fighting a war that has never ended
Is there such a thing as friendly fire?
Show me a place where I can close my eyes
Where I can be a child
Where I can sleep at night
Show me a place where I can’t be found
By those who claim
That I am safe and sound
He’s been all around the world
But never left his home
His home follows him around
Whatever place he goes
Show me a place where I can close my eyes
Where I can be a child
Where I can sleep at night
Show me a place where I can’t be found
By those who claim
That I am safe and sound
The Elephant That Missed A Step (And Fell Into The Ocean)
The elephant that missed a step and fell into the ocean
Always got along, going through the motions
Patriotic fella, always on the move
Dreaming of the ocean – the herd would disapprove
He tried to love his neighbors
Folly! He had none
He tried to love his parents
Folly! He had some
One day a black crow came
And told him to walk away
“Why should I listen to a crow,” the elephant asked
“Because I can fly,” the crow replied
“From up here,” the crow went on, “the ocean is in plain sight”
“The water that they seek”
Said the bird, pointing to the herd
“Is not as deep as you think”
So the big guy trumpeted:
“What about those footprints? What will be of them?”
“Centuries of precious wisdom imprinted in the sand”
“They have always been there, showing us the way”
“If I can’t see them here, I am afraid I’d go astray”
The crow cawed, his wings spread:
“One of these days the wind will blow stronger”
“Without moving leaves, you will be happily unaware”
“And those marks in the sand nothing will offer”
“Unreliable witnesses to those who’ve gone nowhere”
Who are you, crow?
What are you, crow?
“I speak in tongues but my lips are sealed”
“I live in the ocean and my lions are seals”
Who are you, crow?
What are you, crow?
“I speak in tongues but my lips are sealed”
“I live in the ocean and my lions are seals”
Take a misstep
Make a mistake
Fall into the ocean
It’s never too late
Who are you, crow?
What are you, crow?
“I speak in tongues but my lips are sealed”
“I live in the ocean and my lions are seals”
Take a misstep
Make a mistake
Fall into the ocean
It’s never too late
When Will Clarence Die?
I am and I am not
I can and I cannot
I walk with no legs
I see…but I am blind
When will Clarence die? When will Clarence die?
When will he expire? Retired? Otherwise…
When will Clarence die? When will Clarence die?
When will he expire? Retired? Otherwise…
I love the kings that clip my wings
I hand the baton that will break my skin
I accept, I reject
I condone and deflect
I agree with you if there is no sin
When will Clarence die? When will Clarence die?
When will he expire? Retired? Otherwise…
When will Clarence die? When will Clarence die?
When will he expire? Retired? Otherwise…
I believe in a world that cannot be touched
The air is thin cause it comes from above
The ghosts I conjure, my dear beloved,
Have no Danish roots: I may have misjudged!!
I am righteous and proper
So I want to believe
But I live in the shadows
Mulling over the meaning of life
My only fear is that one of these days
Inadvertently… the Lord will bring me into light
When will Clarence die? When will Clarence die?
When will he expire? Retired? Otherwise…
When will Clarence die? When will Clarence die?
When will he expire? Retired? Otherwise…
Inside Around The World
He was born in China
Only child of State parents
His struggles unseen – unheard of
Tea and a man
Holding his hand
Blindfold, muffler
Inside a square
Coming of age at thirteen
Heavy weight on his back
Birds and bees all around him
Confusion is company instead
So she decided to move to Iran
On a flying carpet, she said
But found herself in a desert
Alone, couldn’t find her own clan
Daddy doesn’t call him by her name
Mommy ‘s busy with her many fans
She, I – both faces covered in shame
Show me a place where I can close my eyes
Where I can be a child
Where I can sleep at night
Show me a place where I can’t be found
By those who claim
That I am safe and sound
Russia’s good place to live, he thought
And spend the rest of his life in despair
So once again he flew out
Of his body, of his mind – oh, so scared
But soon he realized
That the square was all red
Don’t love thy neighbor, oh no
Bomb him! His blood must be shed!
Show me a place where I can close my eyes
Where I can be a child
Where I can sleep at night
Show me a place where I can’t be found
By those who claim
That I am safe and sound
There is nowhere to be, he said
In this life of mine
I need to find a place to expire
Far away, perimeter mined
He took a look at the map
And replied with a nod
This is the place to rest
Where no one is allowed in
And all trespassers are shot
As soon as he arrived at the peninsula
He headed north for his final home
Borders protected, no one in sight
Hasn’t he been there all his life?
Fighting a war that has never ended
Is there such a thing as friendly fire?
Show me a place where I can close my eyes
Where I can be a child
Where I can sleep at night
Show me a place where I can’t be found
By those who claim
That I am safe and sound
He’s been all around the world
But never left his home
His home follows him around
Whatever place he goes
Show me a place where I can close my eyes
Where I can be a child
Where I can sleep at night
Show me a place where I can’t be found
By those who claim
That I am safe and sound
The Elephant That Missed A Step (And Fell Into The Ocean)
The elephant that missed a step and fell into the ocean
Always got along, going through the motions
Patriotic fella, always on the move
Dreaming of the ocean – the herd would disapprove
He tried to love his neighbors
Folly! He had none
He tried to love his parents
Folly! He had some
One day a black crow came
And told him to walk away
“Why should I listen to a crow,” the elephant asked
“Because I can fly,” the crow replied
“From up here,” the crow went on, “the ocean is in plain sight”
“The water that they seek”
Said the bird, pointing to the herd
“Is not as deep as you think”
So the big guy trumpeted:
“What about those footprints? What will be of them?”
“Centuries of precious wisdom imprinted in the sand”
“They have always been there, showing us the way”
“If I can’t see them here, I am afraid I’d go astray”
The crow cawed, his wings spread:
“One of these days the wind will blow stronger”
“Without moving leaves, you will be happily unaware”
“And those marks in the sand nothing will offer”
“Unreliable witnesses to those who’ve gone nowhere”
Who are you, crow?
What are you, crow?
“I speak in tongues but my lips are sealed”
“I live in the ocean and my lions are seals”
Who are you, crow?
What are you, crow?
“I speak in tongues but my lips are sealed”
“I live in the ocean and my lions are seals”
Take a misstep
Make a mistake
Fall into the ocean
It’s never too late
Who are you, crow?
What are you, crow?
“I speak in tongues but my lips are sealed”
“I live in the ocean and my lions are seals”
Take a misstep
Make a mistake
Fall into the ocean
It’s never too late
When Will Clarence Die?
I am and I am not
I can and I cannot
I walk with no legs
I see…but I am blind
When will Clarence die? When will Clarence die?
When will he expire? Retired? Otherwise…
When will Clarence die? When will Clarence die?
When will he expire? Retired? Otherwise…
I love the kings that clip my wings
I hand the baton that will break my skin
I accept, I reject
I condone and deflect
I agree with you if there is no sin
When will Clarence die? When will Clarence die?
When will he expire? Retired? Otherwise…
When will Clarence die? When will Clarence die?
When will he expire? Retired? Otherwise…
I believe in a world that cannot be touched
The air is thin cause it comes from above
The ghosts I conjure, my dear beloved,
Have no Danish roots: I may have misjudged!!
I am righteous and proper
So I want to believe
But I live in the shadows
Mulling over the meaning of life
My only fear is that one of these days
Inadvertently… the Lord will bring me into light
When will Clarence die? When will Clarence die?
When will he expire? Retired? Otherwise…
When will Clarence die? When will Clarence die?
When will he expire? Retired? Otherwise…
If I die here
Nobody will claim my body
Nobody will sing my life
Nobody will fly the kite
That was given to the child
When he was alone
If I die here
There won’t be any birds
Just a good old shovel
Cutting through the dirt
If I die here
Nobody will shed a tear
Nobody will ever hear
No memories to recount
If I die here
There won’t be any food
No comfort, no relief
No pain that can be soothed
If I die here
The city will be troubled
With a minor inconvenience
Tracing where I’ve been
To find my next to kin
If I die here
Nobody will ever notice
Like nobody ever did
How lonely I have been
But I won‘t die here
I will disappoint my demons
I will starve them all to death
Maybe lock’em up instead
Because I won’t die here
I will last another season
I will take another breath
And change the end of Macbeth
I won’t die here
Tomorrow will come again
Tomorrow will come again
Like a story that never ends
Tomorrow will come again
Tomorrow will come… again
Inside Around The World
He was born in China
Only child of State parents
His struggles unseen – unheard of
Tea and a man
Holding his hand
Blindfold, muffler
Inside a square
Coming of age at thirteen
Heavy weight on his back
Birds and bees all around him
Confusion is company instead
So she decided to move to Iran
On a flying carpet, she said
But found herself in a desert
Alone, couldn’t find her own clan
Daddy doesn’t call him by her name
Mommy ‘s busy with her many fans
She, I – both faces covered in shame
Show me a place where I can close my eyes
Where I can be a child
Where I can sleep at night
Show me a place where I can’t be found
By those who claim
That I am safe and sound
Russia’s good place to live, he thought
And spend the rest of his life in despair
So once again he flew out
Of his body, of his mind – oh, so scared
But soon he realized
That the square was all red
Don’t love thy neighbor, oh no
Bomb him! His blood must be shed!
Show me a place where I can close my eyes
Where I can be a child
Where I can sleep at night
Show me a place where I can’t be found
By those who claim
That I am safe and sound
There is nowhere to be, he said
In this life of mine
I need to find a place to expire
Far away, perimeter mined
He took a look at the map
And replied with a nod
This is the place to rest
Where no one is allowed in
And all trespassers are shot
As soon as he arrived at the peninsula
He headed north for his final home
Borders protected, no one in sight
Hasn’t he been there all his life?
Fighting a war that has never ended
Is there such a thing as friendly fire?
Show me a place where I can close my eyes
Where I can be a child
Where I can sleep at night
Show me a place where I can’t be found
By those who claim
That I am safe and sound
He’s been all around the world
But never left his home
His home follows him around
Whatever place he goes
Show me a place where I can close my eyes
Where I can be a child
Where I can sleep at night
Show me a place where I can’t be found
By those who claim
That I am safe and sound
The Elephant That Missed A Step (And Fell Into The Ocean)
The elephant that missed a step and fell into the ocean
Always got along, going through the motions
Patriotic fella, always on the move
Dreaming of the ocean – the herd would disapprove
He tried to love his neighbors
Folly! He had none
He tried to love his parents
Folly! He had some
One day a black crow came
And told him to walk away
“Why should I listen to a crow,” the elephant asked
“Because I can fly,” the crow replied
“From up here,” the crow went on, “the ocean is in plain sight”
“The water that they seek”
Said the bird, pointing to the herd
“Is not as deep as you think”
So the big guy trumpeted:
“What about those footprints? What will be of them?”
“Centuries of precious wisdom imprinted in the sand”
“They have always been there, showing us the way”
“If I can’t see them here, I am afraid I’d go astray”
The crow cawed, his wings spread:
“One of these days the wind will blow stronger”
“Without moving leaves, you will be happily unaware”
“And those marks in the sand nothing will offer”
“Unreliable witnesses to those who’ve gone nowhere”
Who are you, crow?
What are you, crow?
“I speak in tongues but my lips are sealed”
“I live in the ocean and my lions are seals”
Who are you, crow?
What are you, crow?
“I speak in tongues but my lips are sealed”
“I live in the ocean and my lions are seals”
Take a misstep
Make a mistake
Fall into the ocean
It’s never too late
Who are you, crow?
What are you, crow?
“I speak in tongues but my lips are sealed”
“I live in the ocean and my lions are seals”
Take a misstep
Make a mistake
Fall into the ocean
It’s never too late
When Will Clarence Die?
I am and I am not
I can and I cannot
I walk with no legs
I see…but I am blind
When will Clarence die? When will Clarence die?
When will he expire? Retired? Otherwise…
When will Clarence die? When will Clarence die?
When will he expire? Retired? Otherwise…
I love the kings that clip my wings
I hand the baton that will break my skin
I accept, I reject
I condone and deflect
I agree with you if there is no sin
When will Clarence die? When will Clarence die?
When will he expire? Retired? Otherwise…
When will Clarence die? When will Clarence die?
When will he expire? Retired? Otherwise…
I believe in a world that cannot be touched
The air is thin cause it comes from above
The ghosts I conjure, my dear beloved,
Have no Danish roots: I may have misjudged!!
I am righteous and proper
So I want to believe
But I live in the shadows
Mulling over the meaning of life
My only fear is that one of these days
Inadvertently… the Lord will bring me into light
When will Clarence die? When will Clarence die?
When will he expire? Retired? Otherwise…
When will Clarence die? When will Clarence die?
When will he expire? Retired? Otherwise…
If I die here
Nobody will claim my body
Nobody will sing my life
Nobody will fly the kite
That was given to the child
When he was alone
If I die here
There won’t be any birds
Just a good old shovel
Cutting through the dirt
If I die here
Nobody will shed a tear
Nobody will ever hear
No memories to recount
If I die here
There won’t be any food
No comfort, no relief
No pain that can be soothed
If I die here
The city will be troubled
With a minor inconvenience
Tracing where I’ve been
To find my next to kin
If I die here
Nobody will ever notice
Like nobody ever did
How lonely I have been
But I won‘t die here
I will disappoint my demons
I will starve them all to death
Maybe lock’em up instead
Because I won’t die here
I will last another season
I will take another breath
And change the end of Macbeth
I won’t die here
Tomorrow will come again
Tomorrow will come again
Like a story that never ends
Tomorrow will come again
Tomorrow will come… again
Originally from Brazil, I came to the United States in my late 20's. I am a former US Diplomat who has served in Washington, Dhaka, Santo Domingo and Islamabad. I have also worked for the United Nations. I am a former Human Resources Manager. Landscaper. Janitor. Internal Revenue Agent. And, finally, Writer. In every corner of my soul there's a script for a different character.
Originally from Brazil, I came to the United States in my late 20's. I am a former US Diplomat who has served in Washington, Dhaka, Santo Domingo and Islamabad. I have also worked for the United Nations. I am a former Human Resources Manager. Landscaper. Janitor. Internal Revenue Agent. And, finally, Writer. In every corner of my soul there's a script for a different character.
You tell me.
