Marvels and frights and strange delights

From Lord Lord Lord

Verse 1 of Lord Lord Lord
by Yasiin Bey

The power of observation
Marvels and frights and strange delights
Attributes, properties, disciplines and novelties
Ecstatic patterns in the calendar design
Wilderness tours, guided for and by the blind
Cool ruler standing still sweating through the shades
He knew those lights only grew bright to fade
Dead wrong pageantry, lottery and games
Sleight of hand provided by extravagant and fake
The carnival tilt bell the hustle for the age
They clutch what they covet, what must they give away?
Who was uninvited who was asked to come and stay?
Surprise, it's your life, it's your business anyway
So please pardon these and such curious minds
Peace, safe passage, precious time hither and gone
The day of days, Yawm al-Qiyāmah
This tiny stone illuminated by a star
The only star so large many more
To make our largest star show small
Furthermore, the end is not the end no stop but a pause
And what we can witness isn't all there is at all
Custom mock of a scotch and pork chops
The passion, expansion, the order of the random
See the dreamers, see the sleepers
Why'd you wake them?
Sweet Jesus and life on Earth
Seek heaven first
Let's put in this work