What lessons did I learn from the art of science
From bodily emotions that conform to the worst in humanity
Like a virus of the brain?

Broken on the wheel of dislike we watched him suffer,
Impassive and quietly registering the depth of humour inherent in such a man.
Restrained from walking the earth like a social pariah
He often complained of chest pains,
But we all knew he actually suffered from a broken heart.

He was a quiet man, dignified and bleak,
And he rode into town on a pale horse,
Asking Who wants to be first?

We looked at each other and shrugged.
It's not always a struggle to survive.
Sometimes we just floated to the bottom and lay there, passive and nice,
Waiting with baited breath for the end to come
    For the other shoe to drop
    For the yin to turn into yang.

We watched the distant city lights twinkle seductively,
Merrily asking for us to join the chase, Take up arms 
And see what lies on the other end of the pitchfork.
The lights were going down in the California town,
But I was still a wild-eyed pup,
Wondering what lay over the next field,
Outside of bicycle range, where the real world was going on.

Babylon! we cried to the distant shimmerings.
Take us with you!  we cried.
But the lights mocked our half-hearted feeble efforts at liberation.
The world doesn't give up its secrets that easily.

In the meantime we were fed a substitute diet of worms,
Pap from the mouths of patriarchs,
Predigested and made palatable for the delicate stomache.
We were fed well, and we grew strong,
But missing our feet so that we could never again run away to Babylon.

Babylon, City of whores and virgins,
Wonder of the east, Wherefore art thou, Babylon?
Desert us not, poor sinners that we are, in this time of need!
Make us whole again in the moans of the gutter
And the garbage that flows through your sewers.

Keep us in evil, and deliver us from righteousness.