i get an early start from the sirens i still haven’t learned to sleep through
and i walk down to the corner for an intravenous caffeine drip
looking through display windows and all of those retail shops
mesmerized by the wrestling textures i can almost grip
a schizophrenic’s screaming at the passing bicycle wheels
maybe i feel a little bit of what he feels
like i didn’t ask for this beautiful world, i’m just trying to deal
where there’s either no such thing as ordinary or everything is
with the smoke and the sugar and the sewer drifting through the air
i’m nauseous but i’m hungry and i’m keenly alive
there was never a better place to be than right here
the immigrants are selling umbrellas and selfie sticks
maybe i feel what they feel just a little bit
like i didn’t ask for this beautiful world, i am a stranger in it
who, well i never really knew
i just woke up one day and the clock hands started to move
it was all black, i’m not saying change it back
but i didn’t ask for this beautiful world, so cut me some slack
only a taxi, a bus, a train, and a plane ride away
to a conversation with a lonely cat and a glass of wine
maybe it’s the jet lag but i’m feeling philosophical tonight
i didn’t ask for this beautiful world, but i’m glad that it’s mine
we didn’t ask for this beautiful world, but it’s ours for a time