Tuesday, April 3, 2018

National (Bad) Poetry Month: Delusions

Happy National Poetry Month, Gentle Readers! Oh, April can be a cruel month, bringing the Internet out in a rash of Bad Poetry...As this web site has often mentioned, this web site has no idea how good or bad our original poetry may be. I don't presume to call other bloggers' poetry bad so, apart from books specifically about Bad Poetry, at this web site the label "Bad Poetry" generally tags my own. Four pieces of Bad Poetry and/or Lyrics have been funded for this month, and to begin appropriately, here are some of the most memorable verses of an original song I've been singing since the early 1990s. Its tune is its own so far as I know.

I’ve written different “topical” verses for this one over the years...It all started when a nurse tried to explain to a geriatric patient’s husband that the patient had become delusional in reaction to a change in medication. “Delusions means she believes things that aren’t true,” the nurse said. The husband said, “Then who’s not delusional?” He named four or five people featured in news stories of the season. “They’re delusional aren’t they?” He had a point. Hence this song:

See the famous aging actress getting “married” once again.
Do you believe she’s ever going to stand by just one man?
Do you believe he wants more than her money and her fame?
Do you believe she can even remember her new “married name”?

Delusions, oh, delusions, we all have them, yes we do.
Delusions, oh, delusions—I believe that I can sing.
Delusions, oh, delusions, we all lose contact once in a while.
Turn on the news and wonder if “reality” means anything!

See the eager college student burn the candle at both ends:
Class overload, work overtime, two jobs, clubs, church, and friends.
By senior year, in coffee this poor child has lost all hope.
Another kid says, “Friend, I know where you can get some dope.”

Delusions, oh, delusions, meth-heads don’t know they’re addicts too.
Delusions, oh, delusions, and I don’t know that I can’t sing!
Delusions, oh, delusions, we all lose contact once in a while.
Turn on the news and wonder if “reality” means anything!

See the crowd of unknown “hopefuls” trying to run for President.
“Political experience”—did they ever know what that meant?
Do you believe any of them think they’ll have a chance to win,
Or are they trying to spoil the race for someone who is “in”?

Delusions, oh, delusions, everybody has a few.
Delusions, oh, delusions, whoa! I believe that I can sing!
Delusions, oh, delusions, we all lose contact once in a while.
Turn on the news and wonder if “reality” means anything!

See the topical folk song writer sitting in her hotel room.
Can you believe she thinks a song will help dispel the gloom?
Can you believe she thinks that facing reality does any good?
As delusions go, that’s not so bad; I’d believe it if I could.

Delusions, oh, delusions, everybody has a few.
Delusions, oh, delusions—do I believe that I can sing?
Delusions, oh, delusions, we all lose contact once in a while.

Turn on the news and wonder if “reality” means anything!

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