Ragtime

Last night, late, I was watching it snow It always goes sideways in the city It comes right out from the street lights, you know Pumped out by an engine deep inside the earth's core It goes sideways in the city Cover the shapes and erase the date This could be any evening in any place The blizzard blows from left to right Which is funny 'cause the piano's playing "Summertime", from 1935 So sounds the alarm of ragtime It's ragtime keeping time Brave to the waves of its residue Its laughter from a marbled room The white-crowned sounds of possible The sound that lures me It says, "Don't you hurry Don't you worry, kid, we'll be seeing you We'll see you when you're ready." Ragtime turning out the sun and moon Its gravity is soothing It winds me in a sleep cocoon I'll reveal myself when I'm ready I'll reveal myself invincible soon I am one and the same I am useful and strange I am one and the same I am useful and strange I am one and the same I am useful and strange I am one and the same I am useful and strange There's a wisdom that's woe And a woe that's madness There's a wisdom that's woe And a woe that's madness There's a wisdom that's woe And a woe that's madness There's a wisdom that's woe (I am one and the same) And a woe that's madness (I am useful and strange) I am one and the same I am useful and strange I am one and the same I am useful and strange (There's a wisdom that's woe) I am one and the same I am useful and strange I am one and the same