Freedom's train

 I travelled on a train heading west

Through the country that I loved the best

Every city we seemed to pass

the lights went out like the last

It was all same on the train

Oh liberty was its name

So come on and get on board

This train carries rich and poor

You don't even need to know its name

Just wait on on the platform for Freedom's train

I'm looking out of the window

And the country is falling into shadow

The carriage light is all that remains

Shining across the land like a flame

And in each city the same story's told

Of the fight for land, glory and gold

And the frontiers have always changed

But you can travel to the coast

And see the sea and drink your toast

To a land whose face you've rearranged

Everybody is trying to win

What they felt they'd lost to begin

But nobody can hear the spirit sing

And if this train can ring a bell

And people can walk free from hell

Then let's hear the whistle blow once again

For it's time to get on board the liberty train

Yes, this train is leaving soon

It's got to travel by the moon

Because the restless riders don't want it to stop

In case the bandits try and hold it up

If you see freedom in the light of day

You may wish this train would stay

But this train keeps rolling right on through 

The disappearing democracy blues

 I thought I'd go and talk with Jane Seymour

She's been the one that I've been dreaming of

The king is in another restless torpor

And he is collecting all the heads of those I love

All the houses of the high and mighty

Have fallen down like dominos

The diamonds glitter in the clubs

While with golden spades their fields are dug

And the hearts and minds have faded like a dream

Oh Wish I knew America, and that when it looked into a mirror

It wasn't only vanity and greed that could be seen

But I'm afraid that humanity and Christianity

Have been replaced by fear and an idiocy

That threatens the fabric of democracy

And leave a lunatic king to order executioner's insanity  

While civil war beckons within the American dream

So I sit at the card table, the one where Eve loved Cain and Abel

But After Cain had cut the deck, he used a knife and slit Abel's neck

And reshuffled all the hearts and clubs, 

he slipped in a Joker distract the judge

Then behind the smoke and mirrors smudged

 the constitution written on the walls

And then he whitewashed the white house halls, painted them in blood

Like in hellish balls, while Noah and his animals waited for the flood

So I wish to see America, one more time before she disappears

And liberty's statue falls into the sea, behind three monkeys closing their mouths, their eyes and ears

Yes I wish to see America, where is she? I can't see her through my tears

All that I loved about her in the Eighties when I was growing up she was changing through the years

But it's not that I have changed and she has remained the same,

It's just I have the disappearing democracy fears

So Good Night to you America

I hope tomorrow the world will not seem so dark

Because today you snuffed out the torch of liberty

And with it you have killed a big piece of my heart

So Good Night to you America, 

Don't take down the flag that once you flew

Over a world where we looked to you like a symbol

For tonight you've got the disappearing democracy blues

The drenched bench

 A man is exercising on a bench in Collette Park, Shepton Mallet

He is doing sit ups and press ups

He is sweating profusely

As he sits down to rest, a man walks up and sits down on the bench next to him.

He opens his newspaper and starts to read

1st Man: Excuse me, could I borrow the sports section if you're not reading it?

The man asks

2nd man: Certainly, I think the Rugby is in there England versus Scotland

1st: Oh, thanks, great (a little impassively) He proceeds to mop his sweaty brow with the Sports pages

And then to soak up the perspiration soaking through his shorts he sits on the Rugby commentary

2nd: Ecuse me, but I didn't realize you planned to abuse my newspaper, I was planning on reading that later

1st: Oh I'm terribly sorry, you can have it back man!

He takes out the Commentary

and passes it to the man

2nd man: This has an imprint of your sweaty backside on it! You've completely ruined my afternoon's reading pleasure!

1st:Hey man, this is a public space and you freely offered it to me! 

2nd:Well I assumed you would just scan it through and hand it back a little bit later like any normal human being

1st: Sorry to disappoint...look I don't know what to suggest, it will dry out in a half an hour

It's a beautiful morning and there's a slight breeze

You have drenched it in your sweat, Even if I dried it, it'll be crinkled to the shape  of your butt crack, I can't even read the racing predictions

It's a disaster, I always use a system to gamble with and now it's blackened and unreadable...Come to think of you've drenched the whole bench in your sweat it's even soaking into my trousers!

Look sorry, I have a condition, I over-sweat, I'm a hyper-perspirer, I can't help it man! I've got a card somewhere.

Well in that case why'd you choose a public bench to exercise on, there's plenty of gym equipment in the park!

Well, no for your information it's only that running and arm exerciser over there and I sweat so much I slip off. Look, this is really hard for me, I can't go to a gym, because they all tell me I have a Bio problem and there were even complaints about how I left the equipment. that's how come I'm here.

Well why didn't you bring a towel or something?

Look have I got to think of everything, haven't you ever had any problems or conditions?

Well, yes actually now you mention it, I have a very strict routine about reading my newspaper and if I can't read the whole thing from cover to cover, well I just burst into tears, a bit like now

The 2nd man starts to cry

1st: Oh yes, very realistic turn on the water works now will you!

No, no the man says sobbing, this is real, these are real tears of grief, I lost my wife a year ago and we used to come here and sit on this bench and read our newspaper together, me and her, just like you and I now, except you've just desecrated her memory.

Look man, I'm sorry, ok I didn't know, come on dry your eyes mate...there there it's not so bad

Not so bad, not so bad, this has triggered my childhood disorder hyper-lacrimonosity - I cannot stop crying once I start, it goes beyond emotion, If I don't get some water soon, I'm at serious risk of dehydration!

You and me both mate, I'm still sweating like a pig, I must have overdone it, look and the bench is now almost completely soaked in my sweat and your tears...

Yes and my newspaper damn it, it's sobbing wet, I've been crying all over it...

It's got so much salt in it all we need is some fish and chips and some vinegar and we could have a proper take away..

2nd man: I'm glad you see the funny side,

Look there's the park gardener, maybe he can help..Hey Steve! Come over here, please!

Steve: Sorry chaps no can do, it's a hot day and I need to water the plants pronto

Ist man: Look mate, me and my friend here are suffering, I'm having a sweating attack and he's having a crying attack, we're both losing H2O fast, so be a mate and just give us a spray will you, we're losing the ability to think straight here, it's so hot

Look guys, I'm sorry to say this but I'm allergic to water, my whole body comes out in a rash if I touch the stuff. But, just hang on and I'll hose you both down

A moment later...

1st, wow, I really needed that..by the way, my name's Craig, I'm in the fire service and actually, I've got to go on call in a minute.

2nd man, well thanks Craig, maybe I needed to let all that out, I can't hold it all together and bottle it up inside any longer. My name's Shaun, I'm a miller, I'm an Aquarius. 

1st man, oh I'm a Pisces. 

2nd man: well take it from me Craig, don't keep walking around with a chip on your shoulder. It never works out well.  

1st guess you're right Shaun, and you know I think you're wife would be proud of you. Maybe it's time to turn over a new leaf? 

2 nd man, yeah and don't sweat it Craig, I feel much better now, you've definitely left your mark on me:) have great afternoon putting out fires