Monday's Poetry: "America"

by Pa Rock
Poetry Appreciator


I've mentioned Simon and Garfunkel in this space before with a posting of the lyrics of their classic "Sounds of Silence."  The duo were two of the most powerful poetic voices of the 1960's and early 1970's.  They wrote so much good stuff, words that will endure and bring smiles for many generations yet to come.  (And yes, for the benefit of Oklahomans everywhere and all Evangelicals, there are many more generations yet to come!)   The following, "America," was penned by Paul Simon and included on their album "Bookends," a seismic collection of hits that is always worth a quiet and peaceful listen.

America
by Paul Simon


"Let us be lovers we'll marry our fortunes together" 
"I've got some real estate here in my bag" 
So we bought a pack of cigarettes and Mrs. Wagner pies 
And we walked off to look for America 

"Kathy," I said as we boarded a Greyhound in Pittsburgh 
"Michigan seems like a dream to me now" 
It took me four days to hitchhike from Saginaw 
I've gone to look for America 

Laughing on the bus 
Playing games with the faces 
She said the man in the gabardine suit was a spy 
I said "Be careful his bowtie is really a camera" 

"Toss me a cigarette, I think there's one in my raincoat" 
"We smoked the last one an hour ago" 
So I looked at the scenery, she read her magazine 
And the moon rose over an open field 

"Kathy, I'm lost," I said, though I knew she was sleeping 
I'm empty and aching and I don't know why 
Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike 
They've all gone to look for America 
All gone to look for America 
All gone to look for America