Singsong of Thumbs

from Parade Music

Ladies and gentlemen: the parade of days!

the music of scour and pail,

and diapering at night and dustpan work

to the rhythm of mending and failure.

Everyday is the day of slow decay

and cake reverts to crumbs

we collect to bake our cake today.

It's why we've got these thumbs.

Divine decrees with Bondo and grease

we manage to maintain.

We polish God's chains and axles and gears

rusting in God's rain.

Every stiff in this mob works the same job;

baker, mechanic, nurse.

It slips and we fix it, and the change of shift

is a traffic of pram and hearse.