But lo! The circus is in town!
That crazy band of freakish friends
who drink and laugh too much, too loud,
and take leave of their senses:
Tra-la-la-hoo de dah dee lah!
Hey! What dancing they will make,
as down the quiet, sleeping streets
they share their drunken revelry
and celebrate the day, today:
Tra-la-la-lee and lah dee dah!
What? There is no cause for glee?
Such merriment must be misplaced?
But au contraire, my stolid friends!
What better time than this to sing?
Tra-la-la-ho and dosey-do!
Awake! The time is short indeed!
What wine remains is still undrunk,
and there are doorsteps yet to grace
with dance and song and merry cheer:
Tra-la-la-la and Fa-la-lee!
Avast! The revels must go on!
Let none reduce to sack and ash
what life in us may still remain!
Is there a better choice for us?
Tra-la-la-lip and Dee-la-shay!
Quick! Drain thy cup and pour again,
before the senses can return;
What good are revels if one can’t
let go of thinking now and then?
Tra-la-la-la and hoo-hoo-hoo!
Away! Let us leave this sad street,
where only tired and quiet live!
To arms against the somber world!
We must remember laughter!
Tra-la-la-lay and ho-ho-ho!
A toast! To life and living,
for the time is now to do it!
Tomorrow never really comes
and yesterday is only shadow.
Tra-la-la-lay and dipsy-do!
Again! More wine! More song! More dance!
Who knows when we will meet again?
And who would want their last to be
enveloped in some misery?
Tra-la-la-hoo de lah dee dah!
18 DEC 2012
