The Souls Of Those

Igor sits above the water
Lily pads and rose petals float
Tosses living babies to
Pirhana in the moat
He sneaks them out of the kitchen
Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima smile
Deep-fried breaded fetus nuggets
Served at supper Cajun-style
Salt flavored wounds of escargot
And French-fried potato bugs
Banana smoothies for fitness camps
With genuine banana slugs

And I John saw the souls of those
Parsley sage rosemary rhyme
Beheaded for the witness
Get me to the guillotine on time

Descartes don't think here anymore
He moved to a Think Tank down the track
He's a hero among bohemians
But he ain't never coming back
They brought a new kid in today
Beats work he grins, but that's a gaffe
They shoved a shovel in his hands
It beats dumpster diving he laughs
He always was a rebel
That's him over there by the stair
He was busted and tried by Tribunal
For breathing illegal air

And I John saw the souls of those
Parsley sage rosemary rhyme
Beheaded for the witness
Get me to the guillotine on time

The Hipster Clones are arrogant
About the fact that that they know nothing
Discuss the why of nothingness
Over lattes and fresh muffins
Descartes, they say, escaped from a
Home For The Criminally Viable
And when the orphanage burned down
They all said that he was liable
He wouldn't think of doing such a thing
But they say that he's to blame
Think and let think don't live here now
Nobody heard his stifled claim

And I John saw the souls of those
Parsley sage rosemary rhyme
Beheaded for the witness
Get me to the guillotine on time

We talk of life, of death, of love
We talk of matters of the heart
I ask the new kid what his name is
And he says, "Rene Descartes."
"But thinking is not allowed here,"
I say, "So maybe you're really not.
Existence is illegal here
If it requires any thought."
And the bohemians all wink at us
They'll sleep with anything
Just be careful if you go there
You might find yourself in quarantine

And I John saw the souls of those
Parsley sage rosemary rhyme
Beheaded for the witness
Get me to the guillotine on time

Descartes was framed, you know that, right?
He wasn't advocating thought
He advocated existence
His presumed existence went for nought
Voices clamor outside these walls
For the prison of security
They're stacking bodies up out there
Microwaved by drones and humvees
Some superheroes don't wear capes
But they never wear dungarees
You'll catch them in silk at podiums
Turn on your certified TVs

And I John saw the souls of those
Parsley sage rosemary rhyme
Beheaded for the witness
Get me to the guillotine on time

To fund governmental dental
A new ordinance passed this week
Smiles are essential, fundamental
But we're not allowed to show no teeth
First offenders will be fined
A hundred fifty bucks per tooth
And chronic repeat offenders
Will have their teeth removed
We can't have you grinning thoughtlessly
Tweeker mouths just can't afford them
They don't care enough about themselves
We have to get offended for them

And I John saw the souls of those
Parsley sage rosemary rhyme
Beheaded for the witness
Get me to the guillotine on time

About that orphanage fire, though
I don't understand the fuss you give
They were destined for moats anyway
It's not like they were gonna live
It's not like we have a spirit
Just masses of cells in decay
But I get the pirhana being upset
Missing their religious feast day
Jemima gives me a wink
As I show up for kitchen detail
To deep fry Uncle Ben's nuggets
And salt the wounds of French snails

And I John saw the souls of those
Parsley sage rosemary rhyme
Beheaded for the witness
Get me to the guillotine on time

From farm to fork fresh natural
Where fetus farms harvest the parts
The Governor has an affinity
For their breaded little Cajun hearts
They grow them in laboratories too
But they just don't taste the same
Not fit for human consumption
There's nothing like the real thing
So we grow lab babies for the hogs
Rene Descarte is not above us
Ask the chef to hold the brains, please
At the Feast of Saint Goosetavus

And I John saw the souls of those
Parsley sage rosemary rhyme
Beheaded for the witness
Get me to the guillotine on time

Igor's getting restless now
It's time to feed the fish
He grabs a fish food by the leg
Laughs and tells me, "Make a wish."
Igor knows better than to grin
He really can't afford the fines
So he sits around and smirks a lot
Watching the pirhana dine
Fake Descarte leans on his shovel
Careful not to grin or smirk
He wants the watching eyes to see
He's not thinking while he works

And I John saw the souls of those
Parsley sage rosemary rhyme
Beheaded for the witness
Get me to the guillotine on time

There is this secret doorway
Where I can steal illegal air
Walk around with a great big grin
With nobody there to care
It's a portal for the renegades
Who think to know, who know to care
Who know to think, who care to know
Who care to love, who love to care
I know I'll be captured someday
By those who think they own the time
Happy to leave, but I'll be back
Get me to the guillotine on time

And I John saw the souls of those
Parsley sage rosemary rhyme
Beheaded for the witness
Get me to the guillotine on time

 © John Kennan 4-25-20