stones in the road

when we were young

we pledged allegiance every morning of our lives

the classroom rang with children's voices under teacher's watchful eye

we learned about the world around us at our desks and at dinnertime

reminded of the starving children

we cleaned our plates with guilty minds

and the stones in the road shone like diamonds in the dust

and then a voice called to us to make our way back home

when i was ten

my father held me on his shoulders above the crowd

to see a train draped in mourning pass slowly through our town

his widow kneeled with all their children at the sacred burial ground

and the tv glowed that long hot summer with all the cities burning down

and the stones in the road flew out beneath our bicycle tires

worlds removed from all those fires as we raced each other home

and now we drink our coffee on the run

we climb that ladder rung by rung

we are the daughters and the sons

and here's the line that's missing

the starving children have been replaced by souls out on the street

we give a dollar when we pass

and hope our eyes don't meet

we pencil in

we cancel out

we crave the corner suite

we kiss your ass

we make you hold

we doctor the receipt

and the stones in the road fly out from beneath our wheels

another day

another deal

before we get back home

and the stones in the road leave a mark from whence they came

a thousand points of light or shame

baby

i don't know