Points of Authority

Down in the dark dirty streets lays a man,
Afraid of himself with no one to lend a hand,
And he's ashamed of who he is, won't admit -
The mistakes he's made, but he'll never quit,
To his last breath, he'll fight with all he's got,
And down in the streets, he continues to rot,
With a drug dealer on speed dial, he dies away,
Killing himself from the inside out every day.

She stands in front of an old cracked mirror,
The look in her eyes coming in clearer,
And she cakes on another foundation disguise,
To hide all of her Dad's painful good-byes,
Cracked and bruised, she holds a smile on,
Packing a bag - she won't be here by dawn,
And on an eastbound train, her blue eyes cry,
As she prays upon the golden stars in the sky.

Down on a white sandy beach, they collect water,
Cursing and mumbling - the weather couldn't be hotter,
And dehydration kicks in, there's nothing to eat,
Doubling over, they drop to their knees in defeat,
But a Mother's eyes are praying in the middle of the night,
Tears rolling down, revealing her every fright,
But she holds it together with every ounce of strength,
Because for her village, she'd go to every length.

Up on the stage, she dances around the silver pole,
With make-up and a costume, she fits the role,
And she'll kick off her stilettos in a strangers back seat,
To make another dollar for food so her baby can eat,
Her eyes are blood shot red and she drinks away her pain,
And her nose is powdered with crystals of white cocaine -
She cries for her baby boy at home alone on the floor,
Screaming for his Mom, poor boy doesn't know she's a w hore.

And Mr.Bush, can't you open up your eyes to see,
What's happening from your God forsaken points of authority?
There's soldiers out on the battle field, risking their lives,
And your rehearsing tattered words for another media hype?
Poverty, violence, drugs, alcohol...what will it take,
For you to look around and see all the lives at stake?
So instead of rounding up your guys for another war,
Think about their families and those in need of so much more.

-Jenna Elphick
May 7, 2007