Long Night

Are you ready for another day
In Nightmare City USA
Where armed militias raise their guns & cheer

Flag-bearing pickups roar through town
Surround the bus they’re running down
By night thru smoke & torchlight they appear

It’s gonna be a long night
Followed by a long day
Followed by the long long time it takes to find our way
It’s gonna be a long night
Followed by a long fight
Not to make the one wrong move that gives it all away

Poll volunteers endure the jeers
Of mobs who listen to their fears
& look for fraud they’re told they should expect

Who’ll stoke the fire while ballots burn
Like history we never learn
What law does chaos uphold & protect?

It’s gonna be a long night
Followed by a long day
Followed by the long long time it takes to find our way
It’s gonna be a long night
Followed by a long fight
Not to let ourselves give up & give it all away

The neighbor quoting Q-Anon
Misled by memes & dark web dreams
Means no one any harm
(& surely he is wrong?)
He heads outdoors when times are hard
For target practice in the yard
In search of inner peace
Some moment of release
Birds scatter from the trees
& the news from Nightmare City
(So they say)
Is everything’s okay

A slender figure floats through halls
Superbly dressed, his dark suit pressed
Past portraits of the great
(Results are running late)
He meets his wife, First Daughter dear
Who shares his secrets, well-coiffed, sheer
Blonde hair & skin like cream
They’re living out their dream
Why do I want to scream
But the word from Nightmare City
(They insist)
Nobody should resist

Do you gaze up at the podium
The world divided – Us & Them –
To see your cause & candidate prevail

Is it because you’re glad the tide
Is washing over those outside
Not you who raise the sword & hold the scale

It’s gonna be a long night
Followed by a long day
Followed by the long long time it takes to find our way
It’s gonna be a long day
Followed by a long night
Followed by the long long fight they’ll wage to get their way

It’s gonna be a long night
Followed by a long day
Followed by the long long time it takes to make our way
It’s gonna be a long night
Followed by a long fight
Not to let ourselves give up & give it all away

But everything’s okay
Is everything okay?