AFTER THE DEATH
(for Orli and Gideon)
These are the days of the rats in the cages
The burrowing into sawdust corners
the gnawing on bars
and the running on wheels
mostly the running on wheels
Even at night, specially at night
while God in his lab coat naps in the corner
and you know with perfect logic and insanity
If you could just do it fast enough
if you could just do it right enough
Like the wheels of old watches
all the cogs would fit the way they used to
when the good ones all had jewels
sleeping safe in their dark cases
And each morning you had to wind them up
if you wanted hours in your day
And you know, wish, know, wish, know,
that there is another way that this must go
And if you could just get the woulda, coulda
shoulda, coulda, woulda, shoulda; would,
coulda, shoulda, woulda, wheels
to mesh their gears just right
You could turn it all back