On The Way To Enlightenment

I tried very hard to be nice
As I stood in line at Baden's paradise
And I crossed my legs as they sermonized
On the way to enlightenment
But I shit my pants at cub scout camp
On the way to enlightenment
.

I was told how lucky I am to be alive
Of all the boys killed and the men who died
Of the wars they fought so that I might survive
On the way to enlightenment
I felt as guilty as hell to be alive
On the way to enlightenment
.

I saw my mother choke on a bar of soap
As my father forced it down her throat
Divorce, it seemed, was her only hope
On the way to enlightenment
Happiness was a childhood joke
On the way to enlightenment
.

I saw my grandfather die as he lay on the ground
The victim of neglect and a family breakdown
He lost his life, and I my paper round
On the way to enlightenment
I blame myself for the way he was found
On the way to enlightenment
.

I loved Sharon Butt, she never loved me
We shared our first contraceptive comedy
I discovered that a woman contains more than a moment's ecstacy
On the way to enlightenment
Many more things didn't seem that clear to me
On the way to enlightenment
.

My father explained that wisdom came in a child's attack
That a little girl's laugh meant more than a single hand clap
That not even a god could do better than that
On the way to enlightenment
I discovered my father was a paedophiliac
On the way to enlightenment
.

And when at last I understood the Messiah's call
I had tea with the vicar at the local church hall
Where I heard Christ had died afterall
On the way to enlightenment
An unconfirmed report implied he was Peter's tool
On the way to enlightenment
.

I broke every commandment of every faith
I am guilty of all those things my mother says
And I'm not proud of the things I did
On the way to enlightenment
Errors self made are the hardest to forgive
On the way to enlightenment
.

And so I stood at the gates of society
Where the pair ran forth with hipocrasy
And the blood ran cold with beach hut philosophy
On the way to enlightenment
I was alone as far as I could see
On the way to enlightenment
.

The truth, I found, the modern world fears
The eyes are blinded by sight and wisdom deafens the ears
The only voice in accord crossed three thousand years
On the way to enlightenment
And no-one said I should shed any tears
On the way to enlightenment
.

Now as a priest of lay I stand to witness the death of an age
As the poet within pursues the folly of the silent page
I ask forgiveness of that ancient sage
On the way to enlightenment
Allow others to burn in the fires of rage
On the way to enlightenment
.

A child's heart is a pure thing
And I may yet learn from the songs I sing
I do find joy in everything
On the way to enlightenment
I discovered that none of these things mean anything
On the way to enlightenment
.