Can Do (Turbo Suite)

In August 2014, I wrote one of my very first poems, I Can. Can Do is its spiritual successor. The original version, titled I Can—Reprise, has been published in All of Me Vol. V, courtesy of Shadow Spark Publishing. Featured art is by Carlos Quevedo.

Listen to Can Do by Richard Charles Stevens (Turbo Suite)

Listen to Turbo Killer by Carpenter Brut (Feltrite Division Remix)

I can
I can
Can
.
I cannot take away the pain
Explain away its meaning
I cannot lay awake at night
When I am best placed dreaming
I cannot speak of only light
When I possess a shadow
Navigate a heart’s maze
When its plaintive pathway narrows
.
Cannot always be the one
To pick up all the pieces
Cannot raise the stakes
Until the failure rate decreases
Guarantee rotation
As each memory releases
See the heavens blue
To do just as the devil pleases
.
I cannot see the sense
In feeling less immense affection
Can’t sit on the fence
Unless I’m pensive in reflection
Will not play the blame game
Name and shame each misconception
As essentially
That’s eighth grade condescension
.
I cannot reinvent the wheel
Don’t have the time
Besides
For every time the clock stops dead
Said wheel is redefined
I cannot walk a line designed to blind me to my purpose
Be confined to mortal life
To normalize the circus
See my mind reorganised
By ties that bind to hurt us
Deny the sight of thoughtful eyes
When all the while these thoughts of mine
Immortalise divine right to resurface
(Surface)
Divine right to resurface
.
I can (repeat)
.
I can chase any dream
Wide awake or asleep
I can call out the spineless
Then raise them a spleen
I can gaze at the stars
With both feet on the ground
I can hop
I can skip
I can leap
And I can bound
Be profound when I‘m thinking
Stand proud when I’m shrinking
Avow no belief
I need drown when I’m sinking
(Sinking)
Avow no belief
I need drown when I’m sinking
.
I can love to no end
To great length extend kindness
In many respects this can help prevent blindness
I can set reminders if such you allow
Proceed with politeness to honour a vow
.
I can (repeat)
.
I can clear a cheery space
For a tear upon my face
Should I chase every solitary dream
Be graceful when falling and all-in when rising to prize the high tide that I breach
I can lay sprawled out on a gorgeous white beach
Feel cool water refresh my bare feet
I can be we
If we truly believe
That I say every word that we mean
.
I can live and let live
Blow a kiss before dying
Give freely
Sincerely
When taken from blindly
Beneath every sneer
Can translate a late smile
Need not wait
For I hear
It’s been here all the while
.
I can be seen clean through
In each colour and hue
When encouraged to flourish anew
Can feel every last soul that I hold in my keep
And believe they can summon me too
I can tell you that I love you
Mean it every time I do
All you need do is believe it to be true
I can be the destined friend
Request no end disclosed
Lend caress to beds of roses
Dress in splendid robes
Wear rings on my fingers
Have a bell for all ten toes
Share intelligence as to where best the garden grows
.
I can disprove all illusions in my wake if I negate to let them dictate play and breakaway from latent human traits
Take the late commuter train
To new terrain
Some way from wasteful sewer drains
And drain all fluids too reduced to jubilate
Can say my name
And mean it
See fit halfway to esteem it
Should I part ways with the hard way and depart to some place scenic
Then my heart can praise in ways encyclopaedic
My heart can praise in ways encyclopaedic
My heart can praise in ways encyclopaedic
The gaze of angels at my table
Fabled to redeem it
.
I can (repeat)
.
You can place great faith in me
To paint a famed scene tastefully
Reclaim the many years that very nearly got away from me
Should fears be unmistakably severe
Then here’s an idea
I can veer towards just cause to weep elatedly
For tears are souvenirs and clearly fearless when shed graciously
I can wake from deepest sleep and take this as vacation leave
And every one of you can do the same as me
Every one of you can do the same as me
.
You can
You can
.