In general, I think Cookie got it right. Berman, as he frequently does in his poetry, encourages us to change our perception of the world. He attempts to draw us into the wonders of the every day that we usually pass up. In general, he's asking us to sit, relax, and watch the grass grow a bit. The first line points this out: "Moments", the small specks of life can be large and important, "Monuments", if we simply live in a way that cherishes these moments as they are.
Along with this is the idea of People. He seems to hold them as something that can give or allow a sort of salvation to suffering. When he refers to "synchronize(ing) to animal time" I think he means reaching a sort of universal mind state among all people referred to in the opening lines.
Later on, the images he provides are all simple everyday things given descriptions of large proportions: "Suburban kids with biblical names", see "a rainbow from a garden hose".
Then he rips it open with the best verse I think he's, well, ever written:
People ask people to watch their scotch.
People send people up to the moon.
When they return, well there isn't much
People be careful not to crest too soon.
It’s a warning. Here he brings an almost Buddhist tint to the philosophy: chasing greatness does not offer any lasting happiness. In either the case of the drunk or the astronaut, the trip ends sometime, and we are left with just memories of the past to hold to. I almost feel with the last line he's saying that momentary greatness can tarnish your ability to feel and be in the moment, but that can be left to interpretation.
To finish it up, he drops the cryptic lines and simply provides cheery narration, and I feel it's simplicity hits hard after all the vagueness and metaphor.
Above all, it's a perfect song and gets me out of bed in the morning. Berman is God.
In general, I think Cookie got it right. Berman, as he frequently does in his poetry, encourages us to change our perception of the world. He attempts to draw us into the wonders of the every day that we usually pass up. In general, he's asking us to sit, relax, and watch the grass grow a bit. The first line points this out: "Moments", the small specks of life can be large and important, "Monuments", if we simply live in a way that cherishes these moments as they are.
Along with this is the idea of People. He seems to hold them as something that can give or allow a sort of salvation to suffering. When he refers to "synchronize(ing) to animal time" I think he means reaching a sort of universal mind state among all people referred to in the opening lines.
Later on, the images he provides are all simple everyday things given descriptions of large proportions: "Suburban kids with biblical names", see "a rainbow from a garden hose".
Then he rips it open with the best verse I think he's, well, ever written:
People ask people to watch their scotch. People send people up to the moon. When they return, well there isn't much People be careful not to crest too soon.
It’s a warning. Here he brings an almost Buddhist tint to the philosophy: chasing greatness does not offer any lasting happiness. In either the case of the drunk or the astronaut, the trip ends sometime, and we are left with just memories of the past to hold to. I almost feel with the last line he's saying that momentary greatness can tarnish your ability to feel and be in the moment, but that can be left to interpretation.
To finish it up, he drops the cryptic lines and simply provides cheery narration, and I feel it's simplicity hits hard after all the vagueness and metaphor.
Above all, it's a perfect song and gets me out of bed in the morning. Berman is God.