Tag Archives: celebration

So-Called Simpleton’s Rag: a ditty

Find your feet and clap your hands!
Dig the rhythm of the band!
There’s no need to understand
or to worry where we’ll land.

Raise your voice and sing along!
Make some words up, right or wrong!
You will find that you belong
right here in this happy throng.

Drain your glass and grab another!
Greet your neighbor as your brother!
Now’s the time, there is no other
out there waiting to discover.

Dance, and by gods, leap for joy!
Every single girl and boy!
Nothing on earth can destroy
gladness, if it’s well employed.

Hop and skip, make hue and cry!
Kiss your cares and woes goodbye!
There is no good reason why
not to live before you die.

It’s not much – not cute or pretty,
neither smart nor wise or witty.
For that reason, more the pity,
no one’s bound to like this ditty.

19 DEC 2012

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Join the Circus: a dithyramb

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

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Joy to the World (a different version)

Joy in the world! The time is come!
Let earth reject all kings.
Let ev’ry heart give itself room,
and with all nature sing, and with all nature sing,
And with, and with all nature sing.

Joy in the world! No tyrant reigns!
Let men new songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy!

No more let pride’s illusions grow
in wars that spoil the ground;
It’s time to let earth’s blessings flow
Far as all life is found, far as all life is found
Far as, far as all life is found.

To fill the world with truth and grace
We must make nations prove
The folly of self-righteousness,
And share justice and love, And share justice and love,
And share, and share justice and love.

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