…and it’s the BEST THING I’VE EVER WRITTEN.
Welcome to the Forest
Greenman says hello
Greenman says hello
See you through the window sitting at the table
Words are wandering about but nothing’s being said
I know you think that nothing helps
and the world won’t ever let you off your feet
But do you sense
something’s coming
in the distance–
what’s that sound?
suddenly you see
suddenly you see
a flash of red across the window
a twinkle in his eye
but just enough to keep you guessing
when you’re stuck inside
“What is reality,” you say
racing to the door before
he goes away
running so fast your phone jumps out your pocket
see the Piper standing
across the street, demanding
“Drop your salary,
Lose your understanding
of reality
and do not take another step until your feet are bare
and don’t be scared
of the light in my eye.”
But these words he does not speak
he is a raven without a beak
and you hear all he has to say
in the music he secretes
the Piper leads you
Greenman says hello
the piper leads you down the stairs
away from this polluted air
to a place where if your feet are bare
you will not be scared
The Piper leads you to a forest
the sound of his enchantment getting louder with each step
and you get deep into the woods,
now you rest
He disappears
but you still hear
the many songs of wisdom in your ear
Look over there and see a tree
singing its polyphony
telling you that all it sees is magic
Now look around and feel the song
with all six of your senses
Where you sit, there are no bad
attitudes, or fences
And suddenly, you see
voices all around
it does not scare you, make you ask
What is that sound
Civilization
has come and gone
you are in no time
welcome to the Forest.
your mind has crossed the line.
Greenman says hello
Greenman says “hello,
welcome to the Forest
Do not take another step until your feet are bare
and don’t be scared
of the light in my eye
You are gone
Now shed your clothes, not your tears
and dive into the river,
it will cleanse you
the branches of the bushes
stroke the water’s surface
and you reach up and pick their fruit
when they sing to you, too
And when you’re finished in the trees,
lay down and make love to me
beneath the canopy
do you see
Do you see that we are blind
to the world outside
this river now will continue to flow
till the end of time
away from this polluted air
you will not be scared
Your mind has crossed the line
you have gone away from there
now that both your feet are bare
and you’re not scared
of the light in my eye
And then you finally
open your eyes
you were sleeping outside
and now it’s dark, the sun has set
distraught and betrayed, you turn for bed
but across the street, a flash of red
suddenly you see
Across the street, the Piper stands
with a lute on his back and a flute in his hands
decked out from cap to toe
in glowing red, with streaks of gold
and shining eyes of crystal
The Piper is there, he wasn’t a dream
however fantastical it may seem,
there is a land of reverie
and it’s what you see
when you close your eyes
And know that when your feet are bare,
you’ll always see him standing there
you’ll hear his music in the air
and you will not be scared.
I wonder, should we end it here?
Greenman says hello…
the Piper leads you…
Greenman says hello…
the piper leads you…
you are gone…
Greenman says…I’ll see you soon.
