Golden Palace

The. Subject. Is. Reading

The subject is reading.
The teacher selects a passage.
"Everyone turn to chapter four."
Then selects a student to read that passage out loud.

Big blue skies open wide
sunlight bounces off my eyes
if I shut them tight the light
still gets through.

Big blue skies open wide
Sunlight bounces off my eyes
big blue skies open wide
Sunlight bounces off my eyes

Big blue skies open wide
sunlight bounces off my eyes
if I shit them tight the light
still gets through

It's a warm night
My father is playing under the streetlight with the other boys
One by one, they get called in for supper.

My father lets himself into the house.
Brushing his teeth makes his gums bleed
and nobody is checking, so he just goes to bed.

In the morning, he puts on the same clothes he wore yesterday.

Way up high, out of reach
from you and me
sits a Golden Palace
I have no map,
I have no key.

The Golden Palace is located just over the horizon.
You can't see it, but it's up there, in a high up, out of the reach place.

There inside are scientists and mathematicians.
Destined to lead the way

My father is an excellent mimic.
"Everyone turn to chapter eight."
If the teacher calls him third, he can recite the passage.
If she calls him last, he can recite anything that has been said aloud that day until one day, he feels a hand touch his shoulder.
"Please begin."

Everyone is waiting for him to read, and he has to say in front of everyone...
"I can't."

My dad is working second shift