Pulling into town I see it -
there above the waterway.
Slow down…I think I ought to read it.
It makes no sense! Then just repeat it:
WAY-A-HI-A WAY-A-HI-A
What does it mean today?
If I cry out I'll cause a riot.
My senses tell me to defy it.
But what's worse - I can't describe it.
Should I turn the other way?
Then,
suddenly…
…SUDDENLY!
Change of scene, and then tomorrow,
in the pages of a book
of epic verse (it's one I borrowed),
within the mist of tragic sorrow:
HI-A-WAY-A HI-A-WAY-A
I take another look.
This time it flashes like a ray of
Athena's anger (maybe Leia's).
Left with yet another day of
wonder. Shepherd's lost his crook.
Then,
suddenly…
…SUDDENLY!
Finally, it's in a bad dream
that I have next Saturday,
disturbing the Fellini-esque theme -
no way of knowing what it could mean:
WHY-A-HAY-A WHY-A-HAY-A
Is that the proper way
of saying it, or should the sayer
approach it like some sort of prayer?
Every day it's one more layer
in a chant that I'm to pray.
Then,
suddenly…
…SUDDENLY!
That is how it is with language,
that is how it is with words.
Upon a creek, a floating package…
then, popping out, a screaming savage:
WAY-A-HI-A! HI-A-WAY-A!
Through language thick with curds
it slithers, splashing up a spray of
confusion in a slick display of
nonsense - then it makes its way off,
lost within the fishy herds.
Then,
suddenly…
…SUDDENLY!
Suddenly…
…SUDDENLY!!
SUDDENLY!!!
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