technical dysfunctional hope

when life is not reality
and a stranger looks from the mirror at me
when days are short and nights are long
and dreams they vanish and soon are gone
what do cling to when the world is changing?
where do you go? all places rearranging
and nothing’s ever good enough
and nothing’s all you’re good at
and nothing’s the substance inside of me
never knowing what it is that others see

and I used to say “follow me
everything’ll be alright”
and I used to say “stand with me
just us against the world”
but now I know what it’s like to fall
and everything won’t be alright after all
and I don’t want to drag you down
in the wake of beaten punch drunk clown
and I can’t say it’ll all be fine
but I do the best that I can
and I can’t say we’ll beat the world
but if you will I’ll try once again

and life is not always reality
sometimes there are strangers in the mirror you see
sometimes even your dreams they bleed
and slowly die away
who am I?
to say it’ll be ok
who am I?
to say “just another day”
and bet my life on it
but follow me and I promise nothing
follow me and I’ve nothing to give
follow me and I’ll tell you one thing
if you’re going my way I hate walking alone
and dammit, everything’ll be alright
and we’ll hold on through another night
and I don’t know how I can say it now
nothing to prove and all to disagree
but I don’t play by the rules of the game
and what others think is fine with me

so sing me a song, piano man
play for us kings and queens
and life, look the other way again
while we live between the scenes
‘cause life is nothing but a play
and the made-up actor stares from the mirror today
strip it off you’re a mortal again
free to wear different face
I’ll be sittin’ to the curtain’s back
another shadow wearing black
I didn’t write the script
I don’t say the lines
but I can see the things you do
what’s right and what’s missed cue
the show might flop
but life never stops
there’s always something on the stage
‘til the curtain shuts and the actors bow one last time

and if you want stick around with me
I’ve got a few things to sweep up, but then I’m free
and if you waltz the stage’s empty
and the only stars are you and me

and everything’s alright now
twirl your partner, take a bow
the people in the house have all gone home
the stage is yours and mine alone
that’s life, a fleshed out dream
in between the written scenes
when we play our parts
just for now chase your heart