A memo to a higher office

Open letter to the powers that be

To a God, a King, a head of state

A captain of industry

To the movers and the shakers

Can't everybody see?

It ought to be second nature

I mean, the places where we live

Let's talk about this sensibly

We're not insensitive

I know progress has no patience

But something's got to give

I know you're different

You know I'm the same

We're both too busy

To be taking the blame

I'd like some changes

But you don't have the time

We can't go on thinking

It's a victimless crime

No one is blameless

But we're all without shame

We fight the fire

While we're feeding the flames

Folks have got to make choices

And choices got to have voices

Folks are basically decent

Conventional wisdom would say

Well, we read about

The exceptions

In the papers every day

It ought to be second nature

At least, that's what I feel

"Now I lay me down in Dreamland"

I know perfect's not for real

I thought we might get closer

But I'm ready to make a deal

Today is different

And tomorrow the same

It's hard to take the world

The way that it came

Too many rapids

Keep us sweeping along

Too many captains

Keep on steering us wrong

It's hard to take the heat

It's hard to lay blame

To fight the fire

While we're feeding the flames