The Duke of Inspiration

So you say they shook your brother down
Well I saw him just last week
He was trying to stop the danger
of an information leak

So I said I wished him well
And shook the stars out of his head
Then I drew my own conclusions
From the words that were never said

And when the police with no numbers
Lifted clubs behind their heads
Well I knew that it was time
I looked behind and went ahead

Cause that scene was so over-rated
You always knew it was not for me
And now I guess I'll take your words back home
And put 'em in your cup of tea

It's not for me to tell you what to say
It's not for me to tell you where to go
But if what we've been through isn't gonna be enough
I guess we don't have much to show

So I headed back to Old Stone Gap
But there was no one there I knew
So I grabbed my hat and got my money back
And tried to look for another clue

There was a man on the highway he was protesting the rain
He had a poem and he handed it to me
It said “It doesn't matter how fast you're going
If you know where you're going to be

Well I found out I'm going to be missing you
When the big top comes around
You see I'm working as the tightrope walker
And there's uncertainty all over the ground

And I guess you won't have time to stop
As you're flying down the hills
But it's better than living in this city
And knocking flower pots from window sills

It's not for me to tell you what to do
It's not for me to tell you who to be
But if the future's as bright as the stars are tonight
I'm gonna sit back and let it be

Cause the big dipper's pouring a light on me
It's like a beacon in the shining sea
And I know the ocean's calm tonight
Cause I saw it on TV

It was the six o'clock news they were singing the blues
Another Neptune catastrophe
And the girl who was singing 'bout the weather
Started to smile and reminded me

Of the way you pretended to laugh at my jokes
But now the jester's got another queen
And the chamber maids in his castle tonight
Have done nothing to keep it clean

And the Duke of Inspiration
Has been trying to stay away from me
Cause the last time he came down I was not to be found
And who knows where I'll be

It's not for me to tell you how to live
It's not for me to tell you how much to give
And I know there's not too much I'm sure of these days
But if there's one thing I'm positive...

That we've both been changing tires
On the roads to which we were led
And though I haven't read your book in years
I can tell you what it said

Cause today I turn the pages
In my mind silently
Some have corners turned back some are painted in black
But they all say the same thing to me

Just names and faces changing places
All the words that time erases
Keeps you on track pulling you back
And there's no way that you can go back

So let's drink to the consolation
That we derive from the memory
Cause today we're riding stars and bars
All up and down the galaxy

© 1990