This Cup

I'm not making this up.
The whole world's breaking down.
No one's taking this cup
From us this time around.

Famines, earthquakes, disease;
Still we all fake wellness.
Frightened leaves, shaking trees -
No savior dwells among us.

Misguided patriots,
Short-sighted terrorists,
Flat-broke philanthropists;
We're betrayed by a kiss .

I'm not making this up.
The whole world's breaking down.
No one's taking this cup
From us this time around.

The honest men all lie dead;
They were murdered by the truth.
Someone got inside their head,
Plucked an eye and pulled a tooth .

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,
Turn toward the Easter skies.
Justice is blind but not deaf;
It hears all those wounded cries.

I'm not making this up.
The whole world's breaking down.
No one's taking this cup
From us this time around.

Under the circumstances
Is not where you want to live.
Step out, start taking chances;
You'll get back more than you give.

So near and yet so far,
So clear and yet so dark,
So new and yet so old,
So true and yet so cold.

High crimes in high places,
Low-life drug suppliers;
They're all the same faces,
These sellers and buyers.

Streaking as they revel,
Clothed in their birthday suits,
High-fiving the devil -
They're his latest recruits.

No one's taking this cup
From us this time around.

Long ago, far away,
The Man stood on a hill.
So fervently he prayed -
The cup is with us still.

No one's taking this cup
From us this time around.

Long ago, far away,
The Father and Son spoke,
And right around that day,
The lock to Heaven broke

No one's taking this cup
From us this time around.