Make A Wish

1991 COPYRIGHT
BY PETER CHRISTOPHER RAYMOND

THE MASKS WE WORE AT HALLOWEEN OF PAPER MACHE
HARDLY AS CONCEALING AS THE ONES WE WEAR TODAY
THE SUGAR TREATS WE SCAVENGED FOR SO GREEDILY
YET GENTLE WORDS MIGHT FILL OUR BAGS TO FULL CAPACITY
MAKING UP OUR FACES TO BE FRIGHTENING AND GRUESOME
PALE BESIDE THE MONSTERS WE'VE LET OURSELVES BECOME
I CAN REMEMBER WHEN I COULD WASH THE COSTUME OFF OF ME
BUT NOW THE GUISE WON'T COME OFF SO EASILY
I'VE ALLOWED HUMANITY AND CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE TO WITHER
WITHIN THE SELF-FULFILLING CREATURE IN THE MIRROR

WAITING FOR CHRISTMAS DAY WITH INNOCENT ANTICIPATION
NOW JUST JUST A FORMAL GOOD EXCHANGE OF YEARLY OBLIGATION
THE MYTH AND CHARMING LEGENDS THAT LEFT US MYSTIFIED
NOW THAT FLAKY MUMBO-JUMBO HAS ALL BEEN PUSHED ASIDE
FAMILIES HAVE BEEN DIVIDED INTO DISTANT SUSPICIOUS CAMPS
I FEEL AN UNEASY CHILL LOOKING AT THOSE CANDLE LAMPS
THAT USED TO SERVE AS WELCOME TO CELEBRATE IN UNITY
NOW THEY'RE JUST A SYMBOL OF SOLID STONE HYPOCRISY
THIS YEAR ONCE MORE YOU'VE COOKED UP SOME MORE ILLUSIONS TO CARVE
BUT SOME IDEAS ARE HARD TO STOMACH AND I WOULD RATHER STARVE