Nothing Rhymes With Orange

you can see what they show you, you can hear what they say
but it doesn’t make sense when you do it that way
how many trees in the forest have to fall down and rot
before we all understand if it matters or not
the ones with muscle and flex of the fist
are never as strong as the ones who resist
it’s an old danger behind a new face
ain’t there ain’t nothin’ new in the same old place

so try to explain
how it went down the drain
but nothing rhymes with orange

from out of the depths of the television swamp
they came with the swagger and the brag and the pomp
with the 10 second memory trained to forget
so you never recognize who you already met
and they stood on the field all wrapped in the flag
saying “this is our country, it’s here in the bag”
and they ran up a candidate all rolling in gold
saying “there is your greatness, a sight to behold”

and the money is there
at the top of the stairs
but nothing rhymes with orange

some say “hold on now, give him a chance
you can’t judge a snake by a cursory glance”
oh but this reptilian familiar is known
for the size of his hands and the gilt of his thrown
for the wreckage that’s left in the wake of the storm
and the poisonous bite of the terminal norm
and there are no blinders will make it appear
any better than it did this time last year

so you cover your eyes
from the blinding surprise
because nothing rhymes with orange

fear is a door that’s always locked up tight
and it’s best not to open till the timing is right
till you get all your plans and your ducks in a row
stand back and take cover let the dynamite blow
and there’s no turning back now, events are in motion
tempers rising and so are the oceans
it’s only a matter of time until then
when we either sink or either we swim

and the life lines that are thrown
will be those of our own
because nothing rhymes with orange