Excuse Me, Mr. President

She said,
"I don't like your rules, Mr. President.
Ninny ninny nonsense
In a dirty back alley of life."
She said,
"Give me something I can dance to, Mr. President.
No sense, no rhyme, no end,
Just let me dance and be my own thing."
She said,
"Happy Birthday, Mr. President.
I hope this one
Is better than your last.
Is better than the last."
She said,
"Lookie here, Mr. President.
Parades, Charades, Masquerades
And all of them on a Sunday."
She said,
"And don't forget there, Mr. President.
Watch the corners, watch the bottom line
And make sure you don't miss a spot."
She said,
"Oh my, Mr. President,
I think I've lost my soul.
Might we find another one
Right around the corner?"
She said,
"My dear, dear, Mr. President,
do you think we can win?
For Death comes for all of us,
And asks a pretty price."
She said,
"Just this once, Mr. President,
can you cheat the fabric of time?
Can you give a live worth living for
And keep the beggars off my door?"
He said,
"my love, our time has come and past,
we weep, we sleep, we eat, we die.
Our lives are much smaller than we think them to be.
In the end, it's in the grave we lie."

-SJR, 2006