KING CRIMSON: In the Wake of Poseidon (1970)

1. Peace – A Beginning
2. Pictures of a City
3. Cadence and Cascade
4. In the Wake of Poseidon
5. Peace – A Theme
6. Cat Food
7. The Devil's Triangle
8. Peace – An End

PEACE - A BEGINNING

I am the ocean

Lit by the flame

I am the mountain

Peace is my name

I am the river

Touched by the wind

I am the story

I never end.

PICTURES OF A CITY

Concrete cold face cased in steel

Stark sharp glass-eyed crack and peel

Bright light scream beam brake and squeal

Red white green white neon wheel.

Dream flesh love chase perfumed skin

Greased hand teeth hide tinseled sin

Spice ice dance chance sickly grin

Pasteboard time slot sweat and spin.

Blind stick blind drunk cannot see

Mouth dry tongue tied cannot speak

Concrete dream flesh broken shell

Lost soul lost trace lost in hell

CADENCE AND CASCADE

Cadence and Cascade

Kept a man named Jade;

Cool in the shade

While his audience played.

Purred, whispered,

"Spend us too: We only serve for you".

Sliding mystified

On the wine of the tide

Stared pale-eyed

As his veil fell aside.

Sad paper courtesan

They found him just a man.

Caravan hotel

Where the sequin spell fell

Custom of the game.

Cadence oiled in love

Licked his velvet gloved hand

Cascade kissed his name.

Sad paper courtesan

They knew him just a man

IN THE WAKE OF POSEIDON
Plato's spawn cold ivyed eyes

Snare truth in bone and globe.

Harlequins coin pointless games

Sneer jokes in parrot's robe.

Two women weep, Dame Scarlet Screen

Sheds sudden theatre rain,

Whilst dark in dream the Midnight Queen

Knows every human pain.

In air, fire, earth and water

World on the scales.

Air, fire, earth and water

Balance of change

World on the scales

On the scales.

Bishop's kings spin judgement's blade

Scratch "Faith" on nameless graves.

Harvest hags Hoard ash and sand

Rack rope and chain for slaves

Who fireside fear fermented words

Then rear to spoil the feast;

Whilst in the aisle the mad man smiles

To him it matters least.

Heroes hands drain stones for blood

To whet the scaling knife.

Magi blind with visions light

Net death in dread of life.

Their children kneel in Jesus till

They learn the price of nail;

Whilst all around our mother earth

Waits balanced on the scales

PEACE - A THEME

(Instrumental)

CAT FOOD
Lady Supermarket with an apple in her basket

Knocks in the manager's door;

Grooning to the muzak from a speaker in shoe rack

Lays out her goods on the floor;

Everything she's chosen is conveniently frozen.

"Eat it and come back for more!"

Lady Window Shopper with a new one in the hopper

Whips up a chemical brew;

Croaking to a neighbour while she polishes a sabre

Knows how to flavour a stew.

Never need to worry with a tin of 'Hurri Curri':

"Poisoned especially for you!"

No use to complain

If you're caught out in the rain;

Your mother's quite insane.

Cat food cat food cat food again.

Lady Yellow Stamper with a fillet in a hamper

Dying to finish the course;

Goodies for the table with a fable on the label

Drowning in miracle sauce.

Don't think I am that rude if I tell you that it's cat food,

"Not even fit for a horse!"

THE DEVIL'S TRIANGLE

(Instrumental)

PEACE - AN END
Peace is a word

Of the sea and the wind.

Peace is a bird who sings

As you smile.

Peace is the love

Of a foe as a friend;

Peace is the love you bring

To a child

Searching for me

You look everywhere,

Except beside you.

Searching for you

You look everywhere,

But not inside you.

Peace is a stream

From the heart of a man;

Peace is a man, whose breadth

Is the dawn.

Peace is a dawn

On a day without end;

Peace is the end, like death

Of the war