Autumn from Domesticated Goddess by Leila Naderi

Been thinkin' to myself.
Like the old say: "A book on a shelf."
Been thinkin' 'bout the world.
Lickin' lollipops like a little girl.
Oh, what are we?
Where are we?
Who are we, now?
Been walkin' down the street
and listenin' to the feet.
Been thinkin' 'bout the world.
Why are you all dead?
Stop.
Rowing.
That.
Boat.

In a time,
long ago,
half spinning. . .
into orbit as if
it were winning,
there existed a rat who
cowered by the cake,
waiting for the cat to call him out as a fake!
A weakling! A weirdo!
A sod! A sponge!
No matter the chase,
no matter the lunge
he’d have to decide:
to run, to hide?

There beside the chocolate filled depths
rat feels things stir
as the sun it sets.
He spies a crack
deep and crackable.
An unachievable snag?
Nope! He chomps it with his mandible.
Post-mauling,,
post-gnashing,
post-thrashing,
post-fight,
he opens up a tunnel swimming with light!

He runs, runs, runs, runs, runs, runs, runs with all his might.
And as he runs, others follow, and what they find is abso
lute.
ly.
out.
of.
sight:
Its the good life!
Its the good life!
Its the good life!
Its the good life!

• Alternative
• composer
• female jazz vocalist
• multi-genre
• pianist
• songwriter
• Canada