This Minor World

These are the things that don’t require proof,

Natural laws, immutable truths,

The laws that nature provides.

Like how the sun comes up every day,

And forces the moon to fade into gray,

And how all things are ordained.

The movement of the tides, the ebb and the flow,

The phases of the moon, seasons come and then go,

The cycles of growth and decay.

And in the comfort of this minor world,

The flags of our tiny lives unfurl,

To mark the passing of the day.

Small fools are we, but it’s our way.

It’s our way to be cynical, to have our conceits,

Worship painted heroes, with terracotta feet,

Aspire to be rich, aspire to have fame,

Then register in hotels, under someone else’s name.

It’s our way to become selfish, our way to become small,

To put all our wants before the needs of us all.

I wish I was better; had a generous heart.

But I keep growing smaller, no matter how big I start.

© David Burne, July 2012, Control. All Rights Reserved.

Human Zoo

Written as a song, this came to me in 2 or 3 pieces.  At that stage it didn't have a title. 
I realised as it started to form that it was a reaction to a film I had seen - Danish writer/actor/director Rie Rasmussen's movie "Human Zoo".  Themes of violent men corrupting innocent women during and after an ethnic war, combined with an interview I subsequently read where she talked about people winning the ovarian lottery..................
Well, my subconscious clearly had plenty to process, and I woke one morning with a tune and the first 2 verses cycling in my head.  The rest came as I let it ferment.  No line is substantially changed from the original as it came to me.

Em                       C

You in that cheap little A-line dress

     Em                       D

Even cheaper perfume and your hair a mess

    Em                       C             G       D    D6

But still the most beautiful person in the room

There’s a light in you that comes from within

No taint of guilt or original sin

You must have sprung, straight from a perfect womb

You’re much too good for a man like me

There are much bigger oceans that have fish in their sea

I know you’ll leave me, I know you’ll leave me soon

All the men here would take you to the parking lot

Bend you over a car with a bonnet that’s hot

And give it to you baby, and howl like a dog at the moon

So put your foot to the floor and spin those wheels

Can you hear those dogs snapping at your heels?

There are no safe cages, here in the human zoo

Chorus:

D                               Em

There are no safe cages in this human zoo

D                       Em

No safe cages for me or you

D               D6

I’ve seen those animals

C                       Em

I know you’ve seen them too

Love and lust are our crosses to bear

And when you weave those flowers in your hair

Have mercy baby, we’re all just animals too

Don’t want to sound like a romantic type

So let me just stand here and bask in your light

Yeah there’s light there, baby, and it’s spilling right out of you

Blessed are the meek, they'll inherit the earth

A piece of dirt that’s all they’re worth

You’re like gold to them baby; the animals can smell it on you

So it’s out through the window or out through the door

Put the pedal to the metal, you know the score

Get away from this, and try to find a path that’s true

Chorus

Yeah, there’s a light in you that comes from within

No taint of guilt or original sin

You must have sprung straight from a perfect womb

© David Burne, July 2012, Control. All Rights Reserved.

Tranchette

Like a tranche, only smaller

As my words must ever be my bond

I tender this tranchette

With promise of a larger piece

Invested as I am without regret

I pledge my words to you

My stocks are low but surely trending up

No dividends expected but that’s life

So drink the words that spill from this small cup

© David Burne, All Rights reserved, Control, July 2012