City of Blues

The city of blues is cryin'
bitter tears of shame
it's the rich that gets the buses
the poor that gets the blame
White WASP's buzzin' bull shit
disgracin' America's name

The city of blues is dyin'
black is now death's name
the rich escape to safety
the rest just lose the game
the WASP is posin' lies
the poor die just the same

The city of Louis Armstrong
Is givin' up his soul
blowin' up a storm in heaven
an angry trumpet call,
at God's act of destruction
payback for the Fall

Tenessee is cryin' for his home
no streetcars just impotent desire
five days the dead and dyin'
been comin' under fire
the Dream is now a nightmare
America's conscience on the pyre

Truman's heart is breakin'
blood in gutters runnin' cold
the stench of death the stain of shame
as the reluctant tourist strolled
through photo opportunity
his lie of competence is sold

This nomansland's no island
our brothers still ain't free
they just been livin' in the shadows
unseen by you and me
the shame ain't just America's
it's a human tragedy


Zettel 2005