The Booker Tragedy

"Hear me my good friends
there are forces abroad that give not a wit
that slip and slide when best they'd fit
into that box called "Amorality".

This vile cauldron of liers,
this far worse then wicked kettle of fish
do scheme and conspire this hour for their wish
is to put an end to you and me"

They seek to convince the poor
to gladly rob the rich
Whistleblowers are everywhere
who steal and then they snitch
What right do they claim
to seek to judge our judges?
Who are above the lure of fame
and beyond bribery or grudges

I fight only for the people
and come see what fate has wrought
A cheapshot two bit indictment
from some corrupt Manhatten court"

So spoke the honest Booker,
face flushed and all distraught
Who with a ten million dollar bogus contract
seemingly had been caught

" This is an irony"
Said Popper in a voice both calm and clear
"The contract was for ten times that much last year
and the deal went down without a hitch completely

They won't get away with this
but for now our concerns are more immediate
We need time on our side so we can deal with it
and strike hard your hidden enemy

You must remove yourself
to a further shore
Judges they own one or two
but we have three or four
Take thee hence across the river
and there stay at liberty
For more ameanable and more wise
are the judges in New Jersey

For though justice may be slow
we shall assure justice is done
Besides which, as you know,
I have a good friend in Washington
So spoke the honest lawyer
solumn yet without a frown
Then they handed out the whiskey
and they drank the bottle down

They can't do this to me
Said Booker dynamically
I've been in worse spots before
I am a lion, hear me roar

What pipsqueek threatens the king
shall learn to their horror
They've bit off more then they can chew
For though I am gentle by nature
I'll pulverize the runt
Cut to pieces this pathetic creature

They can't do this to be
He said even more loudly
Let the vermin have their fun
They'll melt in the heat of the sun

And like the sun I may hide my face
always to return and then do battle
He slapped each lawyer on the back
Shouting "Pistoles, bring us all another bottle"
And by the time the morning came
They had forgotten about any trouble

For it was the summer of their days
The summer of their reign
There was nothing queer that did appear
They could not explain

When they were caught they counciled patience
When they were not they counciled haste
And many a poor boy gave up thier soul
Just to have a little a little taste
of the sweet drug fame

Oh heavenly narcotic
that brings deep peace to all
except the one or two
lined up against the wall

for no one ever notices
the ever present violence
when the forces of the orchestra
play the symphony of silence

The river runs deep
the river run slow
and there's many a poor man
it's taken down below

The river runs wide
The river runs cold
you won't reach the other side
with your pockets filled with gold

A few nights later Juan and Booker
were out on the water surreptitiously
they didn't know better when the wealther
got a little rougher

Booker has spent the night with Ms alright
and was finishing a drink or two, or three
T'was at Hellsgate where he met his fate
as he stumbled and fell in the water

"Pistoles help me " cried he, desparately
but Juan at the wheel heard nothing of the kind
He was thinking when he got back
he'd have to change his clothes

They say in Spanish Harlem there is a rose

So lovely So lovely
She shines like an angel in the city
And no grime or dirt ever clings to her
A ragdoll princess cinderella flower

Don Juan was a fool but I've known greater
Some learn sooner some learn later
The fool they call "the great anticipator"
For though he'd lose her he'd never hate her
Another all too familiar circumstance
the devil calls the tune but he can't dance

The river runs deep
the river run slow
and there's many a poor man
it's taken down below

The river runs wide
The river runs cold
you won't reach the other side
with pockets filled with gold

They can't do this to me
Said Booker dynamically
I've been in worse spots before
I am a lion, hear me roar

Just wait "till I get my hands
on that idiot puerto rican
I'll show him a thing or two
As past mid town he was floating
the New York Skyline was all lit up
with ten thousand lights a twinkling

They can't do this to me
He said even more loudly
As the sailors and their girls made merry
on the Staten Island Ferry

Oh lady liberty the world don't know
what you mean to me
Who has ever been homeless and poor
You are to me an open door
It matters not where you stand
Where you are is my homeland

Dark and darker grew the night
No stars nor moon shone down their light
Through the night and fog, night and fog
Till Booker understood as would any dog
he had had his day

They can't do this to me
Whispered Booker to the sea
But no ocean ears he that hear
only the sharks that did appear

His eyes grew waterlogged
a preditors delicacy
as he attended one last feast
But he was granted this one mercy
to know his personalized rolex watch
had long before that been set free

Them sharks were quite hungry
Either that or he was tasty
Soon all his bones had drifted
to the bottom of the sea

The river runs deep
the river run slow
and there's many a poor man
it's taken down below

The river runs wide
The river runs cold
you won't reach the other side
with pockets filled with gold

Some may tell you he still walks
On nights of the moon they say he stalks
Corpselike and dragging seaweed
Driven onward by ceaseless greed

He who never was alive
with but one ambition, to survive
cannot be killed and cannot die
I don't know, don't ask me say I

Such tales are those as told to children
Rather think on this dear sisters and brethren
Man is indeed the animal who learns
Better luck next time, when he returns

The river runs deep
the river run slow
and there's many a poor man
it's taken down below

The river runs wide
The river runs cold
you won't reach the other side
with your pockets filled with gold