i study the veins on my mother's hands, as i did as a 
kid, but still can't understand, how she still stands. 
her wrinkled skin tells a tale. was it in '63 that you 
finally first reached a teenage year? only to find you 
would journey the rest alone. i never thought of stolen 
youth, water under bridges rise, their death doesn't mean 
my demise. 13 is a long way from grown. 13 is a long way 
from home. drop out of school, join the war, is it better 
than here? it's better than home. this small town is 
crying and you are all alone. put yourself on real 
tight...gotta wear yourself just right. now reveling, god 
is love and might makes right. finally been chosen, gonna 
live in the 'city upon a hill' and be a 'beacon of 
light'. let's join the choir and start to sing real loud. 
kneel with those buying into manifest destiny and agree 
that those not chosen will be forever lost at sea. i was 
never asked much tolerance, what i got--a time of little 
asking. when everyone is diced and distracted, with no 
such enemy deliberately. i see things i could change 
but...if this continues, i could just ease on by.