Victory Bells

Restitution
Is that the poor man's salvation
Assuming there's enough to go around

Consternation
from our forbears
means nothing
Those people ran our country to the ground

Crickets on the porch
Cattails in the harbor swinging
Whispers from the north
Victory bells in a courtyard ringing

Can I reach you
with the language of my father
when my own mother tongue has clearly died
Can I touch you
I'm just a ripple in the water
I won't have left a mark when you are dry

Rich man on TV
Bills spread out on the kitchen table
Darling, look at me
You still wake like a young Clark Gable

Pastures drying out
Bounty of our harvest thinning
We can't go without
Our parents sure knew harder living