Rooster Poem by gershon hepner

When the rooster crows at the break of dawn
all people are supposed to rise,
at least that’s what, archaic as the morn,
they used to think before sunrise,
and the enlightenment brought on by clocks,
which now get people out of bed,
instead of cocks’ cacophony and shocks
that Morpheus at dawn would dread.

We’re all a’thinkin’ and a’wondrin’ now,
awakened not by any rooster,
and deaf to any mooin’ of the cow,
the radio’s morning news the booster
that causes us to launch like rockets
from beds, the missile pads from which we shoot,
or else like guilty men remain in dockets,
and give, though we’re accused, no hoot.

It ain’t no use in turnin’ on the light,
if you feel guilty sleepin’ in;
it’s true that sleep should happen in the night,
but sleep in mornin’s ain’t no sin,
cos sometimes gettin’ up is simply wastin’
your precious time. If you’ve no plan
to fill the morning, there’s no need to hasten
to greet the sun and get a tan.

Inspired by a song by Bob Dylan which provides the name of the first chapter of my book:

DON’T THINK TWICE—IT’S ALL RIGHT

It ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
It don't matter, anyhow
An' it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
If you don't know by now
When your rooster crows at the break of dawn
Look out your window and I'll be gone
You're the reason I'm trav'lin' on
Don't think twice, it's all right

It ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
That light I never knowed
An' it ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
I'm on the dark side of the road
Still I wish there was somethin' you would do or say
To try and make me change my mind and stay
We never did too much talkin' anyway
So don't think twice, it's all right

It ain't no use in callin' out my name, gal
Like you never did before
It ain't no use in callin' out my name, gal
I can't hear you any more
I'm a-thinkin' and a-wond'rin' all the way down the road
I once loved a woman, a child I'm told
I give her my heart but she wanted my soul
But don't think twice, it's all right

I'm walkin' down that long, lonesome road, babe
Where I'm bound, I can't tell
But goodbye's too good a word, gal
So I'll just say fare thee well
I ain't sayin' you treated me unkind
You could have done better but I don't mind
You just kinda wasted my precious time
But don't think twice, it's all right.

6/11/07