Biting Your Tail

May your eyes be wide and seeing*
May your learn from the view where you’re kneeling
Know the fear of the world that you’re feeling
Is the fear of a slave
May you know how the fire was started
Want as much for the snake as the garden
Wear them both like a glove
That you can wave
May your mouth betray your wisdom
May you get what they fail to mention
May your love be your only religion
Preach it to us all
May you lose what you offer gladly
May you worship the time and it’s passing
Stars won’t ever wait for you
To watch them fall
We’re the smoke on a burnt horizon
We’re a boat on a tide that’s rising
Both the post and the pig you’re untying
Butcher gone for the blade
Someday we may all be happy
Someday all make a face worth slapping
Someday we may be shocked to be laughing
At the way you behave
may your hands be strong and willing
may you know when to speak and to listen
may you find every friend that you’re missing
there’s no check in the mail
may you end up bruised and purple
know the pieces the shape of a circle
round and round you go
biting your tail
we’re the journey and the wind is whipping
short hands on the clock still ticking
both the egg and the red fox grinning
his belly full for the day
someday we may all want nothing
and all together we’ll get whats coming
someday all say the world was something
that we just couldnt change
may your tongue be soft and wicked
know your part in the calf and the killing
see straight through the captain you’re kissing
helm lose in his hand
may your words be well worth stealing
put your hand on your heart while singing
choirs sick of the song
but they still gotta stand