I Understand Nothing

Looking out my window in June July August The sun was overhead colored blood orange moon All the nowhere people were trying to bring in their harvest I was in the middle of the city stuck doing what I do Stepped outside to smoke a little weed From the pavement up the street think I saw a scream Must have been a riot think I heard a guillotine But I was soon distracted by the tea preacher on my screen Am I doing this right? Can someone throw me the line? Shakespeare's in the alley with Milton rolling bones Nas is playing Beethoven rolling over on the stones Nina's watching Johann perform prelude number one Mos is parting water as old man river grows Standing by Memphis Slim as he crows "Don't care how great you are don't care what you're worth Someday someday someday You've got to get back" Turning on the first avenue of men Strolling past abandoned stall carts and statues of bull pens I see the crowds building a tower of power Singing those were the days to start making things better And they call down to me but I understand nothing nothing I understand I understand nothing nothing I understand I am a maladaptation acting out my role Am I doing this right? Can someone give me a sign? In the golden summer Those days of old In the park under pavilions We played in the snow Even though I hid from you for hours on hours You never once made me feel like a coward With all of your kindness Your life of hope somehow still My heart turned cold as coal Awash in that hothouse sense of control I miss you The waves keep crashing over