AEIOUM

[Blueback]

What's another gray hair on a spirit free such as mine?
Eternally young is my heart drumming through the sands of time.
Upon the uplift wind carrying is my total care.
Floating far above beyond the stratosphere.
All is beautiful. All is fragile.

The young I observe playing down below,
Without so much as a worry for tomorrow,
Though many live in occasional sorrow,
They at least have a little bit of time to borrow.

Hello darkness, my lonely friend,
Here I sit with you in silence,
In silence I pray, to ask what you may,
Not the end, not the end.

And what's another deep wrinkle on a facade such as mine?
Or what of the creases and blemishes on my birth suit so fine?
Walk on out into the cold desert;
To watch the stars in stellar concert.
All is beautiful. All is fragile.

Beyond the skyline civilized,
In dwellings and venues so prized,
Lives of adventurous antics pride,
Not one plea expects to be denied.

Hello darkness, my trusted friend,
Here I stand with you in silence,
In silence I pray, to ask what you may,
Not the end, not the end.

Or what of another ache in this worn out corpus such as mine?
This body - my vessel - my ship - to death I declare to sign.
Sail on past just beyond the rose horizon.
Steady on as she goes into her nightly bosom.
All is beautiful. All is fragile.

An open expanse stretches before my visage,
Calling out with an old maritime tune of voyage,
Look back not hoping for that return passage,
Carry on - repeat after me my given message.

Hello darkness, my welcoming friend,
Here I smile with you in silence,
In silence I pray, to ask what you may,
Not the end, not the end.

[Red Reine]

Down but not out, kid. I'm never going down without a fight!
I took on a lot of beatings, you know - all throughout my life.
Let me tell ya, this isn't going to take me out.
No way, no kid. I ain't going gently into that good night.

Try, go on and try me. That just ain't happening with me.
Bring it on, I took on worse, look into these eyes - feel free.
You think you can? You sure about that?
No way, no kid. I ain't going out like that.

Get up ya bum! Get up rock!
I got something to show ya!
See that mirror? What do you see?
Yeah, tell me. Who do you see?

Winded but not out, kid. I'm still standing in this fight!
I took on all sorts of blows, you know - all throughout my life.
Let me tell ya, I've faced plenty smooth cats.
No way, no kid. I ain't taking none of that gentle crap.

Come over here, look me in the eye and tell me.
I got my gloves on, see this mug smiling wide so prettily.
Tell me I don't still got it, go on I dare ya.
No way, no kid. I ain't gone just yet, nah-ah!

Get up ya bum! Stop the buck!
I got something to show ya!
See this mirror? What do you see?
You tell me. Who do you see?

Took one for the honey,
Take two for the flow,
Got three to make steady,
*Ding ding* - That's right, here we go!

On the ropes but not out, kid. I'm still hanging on in this fight!
I took every punishment I got coming - all throughout my life.
Let me tell ya, t'was no picnic or a walk in the park.
No way, no kid. I ain't ready to say that final good night.

Flying like a butterfly, stinging like a bee,
Raging like a bull, not yet a part of history,
I see the white flag but don't think I'm leaving just yet.
No way, no kid. I ain't quite done, so put up yer set!

Get up ya bum! Go take stock!
I got something to show ya!
See here mirror? What do you see?
So tell me. Who do you see?

[Blueback]

Forever young, that is how you want to be,
When your youth has passed on, and your eyes can no longer see,
When the memories of your past play like movies in your head,
When you can hardly get up, even from your own bed.

Enthralled as you were at the prospect of retiring,
To live out in peace the remainder of your journey,
Now do you find the end of that tunnel frightening,
Watching and waiting for the drop of that awful penny.

So forever young, that is how you want to wear,
When your days are behind you, and your ears can no longer hear,
When the echos of your past play like familiar tunes in your mind,
When the shearing tinnies sound deafening in your ochlear grind.

Excited as you were at the possibilities open,
To scratch off of the bucket list of your crafted plans,
Now do you find you've missed out on all the passing fun,
While on the road you kicked down those youthful rolling cans.

But forever young, that is how you want to be kept,
When your hair was thick, and your back wasn't hunched,
When the cacophony of moments flood in like a data download,
When you're confused as to where you are and to what has happened.

Ecstatic as you were at pursuing your dreams,
To use your savings for the projects of your fantasy,
Now do you find reality is nowhere near how it seems,
Time flew past leaving you only phantoms of seams.

And so maybe, just maybe, forever young is not how you want to be,
When you look forward and begin to finally see,
When the sound of laughter is the sweetest music to one's ear,
When the young are beautiful and the elderly are of good cheer.

Elated as you are at lifting those hanging around your arms,
To share in your experiences of time travel past,
Now do you find your place among the songs and psalms,
Telling stories of old, as a keeper of yore tales flung on a lifetime mast.

[Red Reine]

You better watch out, you better not cry,
Better not shout, I'm warning you why,
Grandpa and grandma are coming to town.
(Loud and clear they're coming around!)

They've written a list, they've checked all the price,
They're gonna find out, who's gonna be nice,
Grandma and grandpa are coming to town.
(I hear they're now inbound!)

The videos while you're sleeping,
The pictures while you're awake,
They've watched everything we had sent,
So be good for goodness sake!

So you better watch out, you better not cry,
Better not pout, I'm explaining you why,
Grandpa and grandma are coming to town.
(No kids, no kiddin' around!)

A little bit-o-this, a little bit-o-that,
Pick up those toys right off of the mat,
Grandma and grandpa are coming to town.
(Please clean this up for the last time round!)

Dust gathering while you're sleeping,
Smudged glass while you're awake,
I've seen the gargantuan mess you make,
So be good for goodness sake!

Jingle bills, jangle bills, jungle bills suck.
Nothing but bills, in the mail inbox.
Piling and piling, can we possibly share?
Look, it even comes in pairs!

Anyway, you better watch out, you better not cry,
Better not flout, I'm imploring you why,
Grandpa and grandma are coming to town.
(Hush! Here they come, don't make a sound!)

The children are excited,
We're just about ready,
They're opening the front door now,
Oh darn, I forgot the confetti!

Let me tell ya, you better watch out, you better not cry,
Better not doubt, I'm telling you why,
Grandma and grandpa (I said),
Grandma and grandpa (That's what I said),
Grandma and grandpa, are coming,
To town!

[Blueback]

What difference did I make?
A question paramount in sultry jade,
Under the cypress tree of Autumn silhouette,
My friends, who now calls out for me, my (for)given name?

I've watched you depart, letting me behind,
Lone hand extended grasping the faint outline,
A cruel trick to let me watch you thus leave,
Winds howling hallow, foliage caught in an even breeze.

All saints are we of a different making,
Chills borne out of shaking the passing earth,
Filled our time with meaningful surprises,
Dug our lives together, at least six decades of measure.

What difference did I make?
Thankful thoughts in harvest parade,
Happy faces smiling, waving at dinner inflates,
My friends, who now calls out for me, my (un)familiar name?

Recall the days of distant years gone by,
Reminiscence reel, projections in slide,
Feelings feeding viciously in my mind's eye,
Crowd cheers me awake, escape back for a moment's sake.

All passing are we, so you parted from me,
Standing alone idle in the middle of the sea,
Waiting for the glass of molten fire beneath,
Inflamed as we were, gathering ashes of treasure.

What difference did I make?
Should auld acquaintances be forgot,
Brought to mind the days of auld lang syne,
My friends, who now calls out for me, my (re)forgotten name?

Had our glasses chimed a little longer,
Bringing in the night, ringing in the lights,
All is bright in the glow of twilight,
Chandelier champagne, corked once more for tonight.

All reverent are we, watching the fade,
Swaying as we grow, weary of the same old so,
Wild and free are the times that must have been,
Forgotten we are, save the habits of dreams.

[Red Reine]

Pour me a milky cup (a milky cup),
A cuppa mug maybe,
Just a single spoon (a single spoon),
Of sugar or a sweetener,
And then stir it round (stir it round),
Be gentle no spilling,
Then let it rest a bit (rest a bit),
Until it sits still.

I need you (I need you),
To just let me be me,
You knew that right from the start,
So pour a cup (pour a cup),
Take a seat and pour out your heart.

I'm all ears though I need to increase the volume,
It goes to eleven but they won't fly me to the moon (Huh? Uh-huh)?
So tell me your problems, and I'll see what I can do.
Well that's a doosy, let me think for a second (Ey-ey-ey)!

Maybe, maybe, try to find (Ey-ey-ey)!
Easy with the cakes, they're not too easy to mind (Ey-ey-ey)!
Listen to your heart and sure we'll be here waiting for you!
Mmmh, mmmh, mmmh! Nyum, nyum, nyum!

Pour out another cup (another cup),
And don't be so messy,
'Member the single spoon (a single spoon),
With just a bit of cream,
Dissolve et coagulate (coagulate),
There's a cake in my cup,
Won't you fish it out (fish it out)?
Alright, stop. I'll drink it still.

I need you (I need you),
To sit with me, darling,
Like you had right from the start,
So drink it up (drink it up),
Take the cup, 'tis an elderly art!

[Blueback]

Here lieth sadness, for goodbyes often end in tears.
My apologies, old friends; but the hourglass has at last run its course.
Though I wish I could stay with you - if for a slight moment longer.
I'm afraid this appears to be the end, mein Freund; this is my final departure.

Thank you for sharing the time we had,
All was thick and thin, sometimes good and sometimes bad,
For putting up with my stark difficulties and drama,
Wheels of fortune, dealings of karma and dharma.

But where sadness lieth, emotive rage also dwells.
My apologies, old friends; for leaving you behind suddenly like so.
Though my desire to remain with you longingly lingers,
I'm afraid this appears to be the end, mein Freund; this is just the way it goes.

Thank you for your kind words and patience,
They touched me in ways that are difficult to measure,
Under pressure from forces keen to play chances,
Cards of poor hand dealt, rolls of loaded dices.

And rage there lieth, alongside regret that hovers.
My apologies, old friends; but I must say, what's done is done.
Though things could have been different, it simply wasn't so.
I'm afraid this appears to be the end, mein Freund; it's now time for me to go.

Thank you for taking care of me and of my needs,
It couldn't have been easy, knowing how difficult I could be,
Carrying my weight together, not quite like a feather,
Scales balancing in silence, in seasons of wither.

And whether regret still lieth, be sure to release.
My apologies, old friends; let bygones be bygones, let us leave in peace.
Life's too short to be focusing on faults among friends.
This cannot be the end, mein Freund; we will soon see each other again.

Thank you for accepting me as I truly am,
For seeing past the projections and the masks of bedlam,
Carving out a bastion of peace on this rock of our adversity,
Planting our flag on the hill of our long promised victory.

[Red Reine]

Non, rien de rien. Non, je ne regrette rien.

I've lived in full; not a single second would I change.
Though I was a fool from time to time on this stage.
The decisions I've made; they've led me to where I now stand.
In defiance of grade, I call out my affirmative stance.

A tout le monde, a tout mes amis,
I declare thus my life most emphatically.
Not a single moment do I dwell in regret.
Non, rien de rien.
Non, je ne regrette rien.

Though I was a pain; in pain I've also suffered on par.
I've carried this chain around my neck carrying the croix.
Judge me not belittle, for I've judged myself enough already.
Atop this island mound turtle, ride the surf, stay free and keep on steady.

A tout le monde, a tout mes amis,
I declare thus my life most emphatically.
Not a single failure do I dwell in regret.
Non, rien de rien.
Non, je ne regrette rien.

Mistakes? I've made a few; far too many to mention in mere words.
But in light of parted lieu, all happened as happy little accidents.
I bore witness to beauty, raised righteousness under heavy siege,
Gave compassion in retreat, entreated deaf ears to hear, and blind eyes to see.

A tout le monde, a tout mes amis,
I declare thus my life most emphatically.
Not a single utterance do I dwell in regret.
Non, rien de rien.
Non, je ne regrette rien!