              Once Around Discontent


Like a bird that's taken wing
On a morning in the spring
When the dew is on the grass and on the flowers,
On the road he's runnin' free --
People, places, things to see,
With the sunshine only sometimes mixed with showers.

Showers?
Bein' homeless is a pain
By a roadside in the rain
When a family's only something to remember.
Pass another lonely town --
Thinks he should've settled down
With a girl he met in Nashville last December.

December?
Family gathered round the tree,
What a happy sight to see,
With the children knowin' Santa comes tomorrow.
Father thanks the Lord above
For the cheerful warmth and love
And protection from the rain and pain and sorrow.  

Sorrow?
Only yesterday it seems
He had bright and shining dreams
Of a future filled with wealth and fame and power.
But he somehow missed his chance,
Didn't even get a glance
At the view from some Manhattan penthouse tower.

Tower?
On the fifty-seventh floor
With a title on the door
He's the leader of a mighty corporation.
Lunch at Antoine's French Cuisine
Via chauffeured limousine
While he dreams about an overdue vacation.

Vacation?
Not a chance to get away
From the pressures ev'ry day,
From the voices crying "Throw some money my way!"
But he thinks he might rebel,
Tell them all to go to Hell,
And go looking for his life along the highway.

Highway?
Like a bird that's taken wing
On a morning in the spring
When the dew is on the grass and on the flowers,
On the road he's runnin' free --
People, places, things to see,
With the sunshine only sometimes mixed with showers.

                    Thomas G. Digby     written 1425 hr 12/18/76
                                        entered 2025 hr  3/29/92
                                        format  13:29 12/22/2001
