The Ride

by Lewis Hamilton
from the book “The Gardener and My Garden” c1997

The man there at the carnival
gave us all a pass
He said, Ride on my little ride
I won’t make it go too fast

The crowd pushed hard, and I went too
but I wanted to turn back
That ride looked old and rusty,
there were pieces off the track

Oh, Mr. Carnival man, the others yelled,
Turn that lever to the hilt
for this ride will get boring
if it isn’t at full tilt

So we got on that crazy ride
as crowded as could be
there were too many getting on
as even I could see

Mr. Carnival man, I yelled to him,
This ride can hold no more!
But he just sneered and turned away
as he locked my little door

Please let me off this crazy ride!
it’s too crowded here for me
This ride is a death trap
an awful place to be!

He looked my way with hateful eyes
With a mean and raspy voice
he said, You better just shut up,
You know you made the choice

I cried out as I shook that cage,
Somebody save the day!
This ride’s not safe and I want out,
unlock this door I pray!

Out of that crowd one man came
He called out clear and loud,
Whoever wants out of this trap,
I’ll save you all right now

I raised my hand, he pried that door
and I was safely free
Some others got out while they could
but most were mad at me

You’re holding up our death ride
They glared a look of hate
Quit delaying our excitement
Don’t make us have to wait

I saw the lonely desperate looks
in their glaring hate-filled eyes
They were looking for excitement
on that old death trap ride

The carnival man then grabbed the switch,
the ride was in full gear
The people clung on tightly
out of reflex and of fear

The old roller coaster went up the track
then it went straight down
As I had feared, the track just broke
with a thudding, crashing sound

There were bodies lying everywhere,
such a needless tragedy
I wish they would have listened
when their chance came to be free

So I went home and thought a lot
it wouldn’t leave my mind
just how I could have ended up
if that man was not so kind

I went back there the next day,
surely that ride would be torn down
My eyes seemed to deceive me
with the shocking sight I found

A crowd was waiting to get on
with glaring, fearful eyes
Please leave this line, I pleaded,
and I began to cry

I saw the horrible tragedy
that happened yesterday
But most just glared right through me,
They yelled, Get out of the way!

The carnival man yanked on the switch
I heard his laugh so brash
We got some more, he yelled again
Then I heard the sickening crash

He laughed out loud as his workers
cleaned up all the debris
Come one, come all, get on my ride
It’s exciting, and it’s free

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