"the wheel"

a revolving wheel of metal chairs
hung on chains, squealing
four little children flying out
a blind man sings in arabic

hey little children don’t disappear
(i heard it was 28,000)
lost upon a revolving wheel
(i heard it was 28,000)

now you see them, now you don’t
children vanish ‘hind vehicle
now you see them, now you don’t
faces, limbs, a bouncing skull

hey little children don’t disappear
(i heard it was 28,000)
all that’s left after a year
(i heard it was 28,000)
a faded face, the trace of an ear
(i heard it was 28,000)

a tableau of the missing
tied to the government building
8,000 sun-bleached photographs
faded with the roses

hey little children don’t disappear
(i heard it was 28,000)
lost upon a revolving wheel
(i heard it was 28,000)
all that’s left after a year
(i heard it was 28,000)
a faded face, the trace of an ear
(i heard it was 28,000)

and watch them fade out
and watch them fade out
and watch them fade out...