The Birdwatchers

He had a guide book and binoculars He called himself a birdwatcher But he knew that we were seeking out Something beyond geese and grouse Ravaged by our nagging doubts The new age and the restless nights We said we'd like to see the sites He said he'd like to take us We first made his acquaintance Through a series of small payments Wires and ACHs Veering through the clearing house We bought our tickets through the touts Before the offers disappeared Found our seats and sat between the dilettantes and profiteers When we landed were greeted by the salesmen In the market where you exit from the station We were initially suspicious but we drank ourselves complicit The next three days were skippers, man Picking up the whispers from the dealers and the drifters Of a strongman with some soldiers and a suntan Our guide said that the city was just a little jumpy And he took us to a party and tried to introduce us To a girl they called The Colonel And a kid they called The Cardinal 'Cause I guess he was from Phoenix or St. Louis And the Colonel said she could probably use us And now we're marching with her army through the forest She said you won't get any service when we get to certain pockets But you might hear screeching noises 'Cause the rockets sound like ravens when they're skipping off the pavement And if you ever hear the church bells then get down on the ground At first we were suspicious but we drank ourselves complicit It felt just like a fable with a complicated ending Toured the royal castle, itt was glass and mud and marble With guns down on the table 'cause it wasn't worth defending The Cardinal and The Colonel Said the ringing of the church bells Are a signal from the generals To tighten up the yoke The view through the binoculars Was spooky but spectacular Blue sky and golden eagles And little puffs of smoke The Birdwatcher was laughing now Asked us if we wondered how Such a pretty picture Could ever turn against itself? We saw the youth out on the avenues And the long looks in the automats The Russians we met were selling black market cigarettes Yeah, I don't think we danced with any diplomats The thrill of being at the scene, ducking out and in between the curfew and the skirmishes Went off into the wilderness to check the natural habitat Turned out that we finally found a purpose When they asked for our credentials We told them we were looking for some birds