Chasing Fish

Kites flying high, chasing fish in sidewalk drains
Running around the house shouting stupid slogans
Driving around a single wheel Mercedes, along the parapet of my terrace
Picking mangoes of the neighbors groves, playing mama’s boy when the sun goes down
There was never enough to do, but never any more to achieve
Never once a day that started without smiles or one that ended without tears;
But when the night fell quiet, tucked into my bed, sleep overwhelmed me like there was no morrow
Looking back mate, I would trade all of tomorrow, and most of today for one yesterday
Can you, lord, sent me back to being a child?
Someone sang, freedom’s just another word for nothing left to loose,
I say, freedom’s just another word when there is nothing left to do
Guess, setting out with a planned tomorrow, and a reviewed today, has made me far from free
Can you, lord, with an open sail, set me back on trail, to gently float to a never-ever land, today?

Exploring though the paddy fields, I came across a place
With waterfalls, and tadpole swims, some rays reflecting off
All it was, was a gentle stream, with a bund at its edge
But for my little brain, was the paradise my dad spoke of in early morning prayers
For all my days as a little boy, I kept going back
To the paradise, to this never-ever land, my secret freedom place
But now, guess, some stones have crushed my little tadpole swims
For I see a new habitation to have overwhelmed my secret land
A kid skips and hops in their courtyard, hope he finds on my behalf a new freedom place
Looking ahead mate, I guess, yester will never come back; all I do is, wait for this act to pass
Can you, lord, sent me back to being just a child?
Someone sang, freedom’s just another word for nothing left to loose,
I say, freedom’s just another word when there is no more air to breath
Guess, looking ahead, looking forward to a life of emptiness is all we do
Chasing fish within a huge glass bowl, like fools we look to God
So lord, with an open sail, set me back on trail, to gently float to a never-ever land, today?

Sitting at my balcony, staring at these kids, playing, running to nowhere
I feel happy to see someone keeping up the legacy, of being just a child
So I grow old, and leave this trail, someone picks up dust
To leave a trail for someone new, and the world just goes around
So lord, here I am, stepping out to a busy day, with plans in my head, and a destination to reach
But, promise me to pull me out, and set me back on sail, to gently float to a never-ever land
With nowhere to go, and no days to count!

Dannie John
4-Dec-2010