Six Cities

The forest has trees;
The mountain has snow on its peak.
And the earth has secrets the ocean helps keep.
Like a language everyone knows how to speak
But forgets each morning when waking from sleep.

There once was a city that was made of steel.
All the buildings were shiny and clean.
The people wore the same clothes and ate all the same meals,
And knew black and white and little in between.

There was once a city that was made glass.
All the buildings you could see right through.
Each and every person had opinions and ideas,
And each and every one of them was true.

There was once a city made of plastic.
All the buildings were flimsy and cheap.
The smoke from a fire there made everybody sick,
So they all left town with the few things they could keep.

There was a city made of marble.
All the buildings were beautiful and cold.
The people had solutions for anything that failed,
So they spent their lives being helpful and alone.

The forest has trees;
The mountain has snow on its peak.
And the earth has secrets the ocean helps keep,
Like a language everyone knows how to speak
But forgets each moment when waking from sleep.

There was once a city that was made of stone.
All the buildings were smooth and gray.
The people living there all felt drab and cold
Even on a pretty, warm spring day.

There was once a city that was made of wood.
All the buildings were sensible and sound.
Everyone there did what they wanted while they knew they could.
Because one day a storm would knock their buildings down.

The forest has trees;
The mountain has snow on its peak.
And the earth has secrets the ocean helps keep,
Like a language everyone knows how to speak
But forgets each morning when waking from sleep.

The forest has trees;
The mountain has snow on its peak.
And the earth has secrets the ocean helps keep,
Like a word explaining how all things should be
That's forgetten the moment we first learn to speak.