Category: Eric Schuurman’s Poetry

You can see through me now,
I’m a cold heart, a callous soul.
You can see through me now,
I’m telling you it’s time to go.
And I’m calling you, I’m not alone.
Trying to carve a heart of stone.
You can see through me now,
you can see clear through my eyes.
You can see through me now,
my deceit and silly lies.

You can see through me now,
I’m a fire that will consume your world.
You can see through me now,
you’re in oblivion, you’re such a stupid girl.
And I’m telling you that the danger’s real.
Ambivalence is all that I can feel.
You can see through me now,
you can see clear through my eyes.
You can see through me now,
through my deceit and silly lies.

You can see through me now,
I’m an animal moving through the night.
You can see through me now,
I could turn on you and take your life.
And I’m howling at the hidden moon,
and the predator will be prowling soon.
You can see through me now,
you can see clear through my eyes.
You can see through me now,
through my deceit and silly lies.

Video

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(Jakob)
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(laundryman)
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Elz ven mon ztept!”

Immeeldom leekt spreekt yackupopfullbook:

(Jakob)
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There was a flash of charity
from the howling abyss
and out stepped young
Miss Elizabeth.

Long gone young
Miss Elizabeth,
down from the mountain,
back from the edge.

We wear the veil,
we offer flowers,
we bathe in hidden
mountain showers.

We are your lambs.
We’re your nation.
Glory’s yours!
Be our salvation!

We pledge Elizabeth
everyday.
White veiled girl
show us the way.

There was a change of plans
we didn’t expect,
from the shadows
an angel stepped.

Miss Elizabeth,
young and mild
steps out among us
from the wild.

We’re one in wondering,
all glory to you,
what would Miss
Elizabeth do?

We’re your disciples,
we are your base.
We’ll follow you
to a better place.

We’ll pledge Elizabeth
every night.
White veiled girl
please shine a light.

Forgive us
mourning your loss,
rolling the stone,
rushing the boss.

Nearly departed
Elizabeth,
“It’s not your time, child”
he sayeth.

We pledge Elizabeth
to be true,
liberty marched
right up to you.

Miss Elizabeth
in you we trust.
True red white buh loo vers
all of us.

There was a beast shadow cast
from coast to coast,
then back she came
like a living ghost.

Elizabeth
put under a spell,
what you saw there
you won’t tell.

We welcome you back
to the fold
with your secret
tales untold.

We sleep the night
neath spangled stars
and say not of who
that we are.

Elizabeth
full of grace,
shine on us your
pristine gaze.

We cup our hands
unto our ear,
it’s your harp
we long to hear.

Look upon us
favorably,
no monkeys in
our family tree.

We pledge Elizabeth
through and through,
white veiled girl,
we’re ready for you.

I cannot forget your ghostly face in the rain.
The bead of moisture that fell on your breast and the stain.
The smell of your collar in our first lingering embrace
fills my senses as gravity beckons my body from space.
Look up there! It’s our love.
Bursts orange and Splinters in the blue.
You brought it down – it was our love –
and changed everything I thought I knew.

Now all of the metal is twisted and ready to cut.
The frame of this door is distorted and hopelessly shut.
The windows are shattered like icicle dreams – I can’t see.
The thing that’s occurred has made this place unknown to me.
Look up there! It’s our love.
Bursts orange and Splinters in the blue.
You brought it down – it was our love –
and changed everything I thought I knew.

Now, all of the unseen eyes straining to see,
and all of the prayers like paper planes flying past me,
all of the breaths held haven’t much longer to wait
for a graceful arch and a spin to a brittle fate.

I cannot help to not be a little surprised
at the look of astonishment I now see in your eyes.
My chrysalis falls to the ground and everyone sees
as my butterfly soul flutters into a mild autumn breeze.
Look up there! It’s our love.
Bursts orange and Splinters in the blue.
You brought it down – it was our love –
and changed everything I thought I knew.

Natalia: Narrator
Julia: Voices of the Beasts
Dad: Refrain

Refrain:

There’s this monkey,
he had a Button,
and he did
just what he wants.
Now this monkey
is no more now
for his weakness
and arrogance.

Refrain

In the night, the Voice of the Jungle came to the first monkey:
“Monkey, here is the Key of Knowledge. Use it wisely.”
He awoke, and there was the Button.

The monkey learned it was no ordinary button.
The monkey could get this Button to do anything he wanted.
All he had to do was to make a wish, press the Button and the wish was his.

So, the monkey ate the finest bananas of the jungle.
He swung from the longest, strongest vines.
He jumped with no fear of falling.
And when he was angry, the jungle creatures fled, for they feared his Button.

There’s this monkey
he had a Button,
and he did
just what he wants.

All day long the monkey sat in his tree, pushing his Button.
After time, the monkey changed.
It did not matter to him that the other jungle creatures suffered.
He did not listen as they asked for his help.
He didn’t think of using his Button for anyone but himself.

Refrain

About at the same time, the Voice came to the second monkey,
with him awakened to a button as well.
And then one day, the two monkeys crossed paths at the river.
They both insisted they had discovered the river first.
A terrible quarrel took place!
Both monkeys hissed and spat and threw great handfuls of leaves and dust.

They fought and screamed and slapped.
Then each paused and remembered his Button.
At pretty much the same time, they pushed their Buttons.
Instantly both monkeys vanished.

There’s this monkey,
he had a Button.

Oh monkey, monkey!
You never had a chance.

Now this monkey,
he had a Button…

Never had a chance.

Refrain

Refrain

-For Brother John Halka–

“Your destiny is determined by the roll of the dice.”

Johnny one, Johnny two, Johnny three, Johnny four.
Yea, he knows what a curse is for.
Johnny five, Johnny six, Johnny seven, Johnny eight.
Man’ll do anything when he’s desperate.
Johnny nine, Johnny ten, Johnny eleven, Johnny twelve.
Mouths to feed leave the manners on the shelf.

“Loving parents, they affect you much like clay.”

Yea, the future is seen:
Johnny Thirteen.
One sweet dream,
Johnny Thirteen.

“Genetics? Environment?”

Johnny one, Johnny two, Johnny three, Johnny four.
Man’s head echoes with the slamming of a door.
Johnny five, Johnny six, Johnny seven, Johnny eight.
Somewhere’s the horizon, but it’s gotta wait.
Johnny nine, Johnny ten, Johnny eleven, Johnny twelve.
Johnny’s taking time to get to know himself.

“Karma corrosion, little repetitive moral leaks.”

And the future is seen
by Johnny Thirteen.
It’s one sweet dream
to Johnny Thirteen.

Bridge

“Good family,
Loving parents,
Stable environment,
Nurture,
Moral hiccups,
Karma corrosion.
They affect you.”

Johnny one, Johnny two, Johnny three, Johnny four.
Now he wonders about what he’s got in store.
Johnny five, Johnny six, Johnny seven, Johnny eight.
Spend a lifetime paying for a luckless fate.
Johnny nine, Johnny ten, Johnny eleven, Johnny twelve.
Still, the man is true to God and self.

“It’s a coin-toss…
Doomed.”

And the future is seen
with Johnny Thirteen.
It’s one sweet dream
of Johnny Thirteen.

Yea, the future is seen

“I didn’t grow up”

for Johnny Thirteen

“Much like clay”

the one sweet dream

“I didn’t grow up”

of Johnny Thirteen.

“Doomed.”

Your love is dangerous,
now it’s clear to see,
a love so dangerous,
danger to me.
Your love is frightening,
now I can see,
nothing between us,
Love Dangerously.

Your love is reckless,
suffering and wild.
A love so dangerous,
whims of a child.
Your love’s peculiar,
and something to see.
Leaves me defenseless,
Love Dangerously.

Love,
love,
love.

Your love is a wildfire,
consuming all.
A love this dangerous,
brings on a fall.
Your love is careless,
honest and free.
Brings us together to
Love Dangerously.