Matthew Parmenter - Modern Times

climb the steps
find the key
in the dark it's hard to see

where's the house where you live
where the hope and the dreams
lost by will or by extremes

welcome to now
welcome to modern times
get on the bus
trust in the driver
you've somewhere to be
the schedule is plain to see
welcome

where is god
give me some peace
when all around I see in us
the need to dominate
we've no god’s eye to tolerate
or cease

welcome to now
welcome to modern times
the judgment is sound
we're pleased with the progress
now get on the train
plead with the driver
carrying your photos from home
this is the face of change
you're welcome now

what cargo is human life now
what is a human being

and I can't get my head around the truth
how shall we look to the future,
how look back
rules of conduct were smashed
long ago in this world

in the pogroms, the ethnic cleansing
god made man yet man would kill all
creation with him
where shall we draw water from
once the well's made a sepulcher

though I fear it‘s wrong
we're still raised to love the strong
power has allure
the archetypes endure
and we follow along

who can see the end
spotting signs within a trend
l've no crystal ball
no mirror on the wall
ahead the road may bend

hup, two, three, four
soldiers marching down the street
pride of all the eyes they meet
a chorus line of kicking feet
and all the boys are packing heat

every boy a man at heart
practiced in the martial art
when's the fighting going to start

don’t let them say you're human rats
or not human at all

we’ve traveled down that road before
as vermin we crawl

these sticks and stones will
break our bones
where names are the first
executioner‘s wall

were it in the past I'd call it done, amen
still I hear the nascent voices
could it be our nature
men, monsters
bloodthirsty, foul

I could shut my eyes
say I'm just one
find some refuge in the distance
and thank god it’s not me, not there
not now
not alone

if there is love,
let us love always
if there is love,
let us love always