of Ben Franklin's electric kite
and Millikan's photoelectric might
all things beautiful...all things bright
and horrific dreams that wake you in the night

For I am the collector
of life...and death
all before...forever after
and that magicial filler in between

as life evades me
my days number less
when I lay down
my collection comes to rest

The dawn of man, to his ultimate demise
from holocaust to apocalypse, it's no surprise
death and doom, life and limb
the sonic boom signals next of kin

nuclear waste, political haste
radiation leaks upon mountain peaks
acid rain causes ecological pain
is world nearing critical? the reasons all biblical

the inception of old
and destruction of new
magnificent discoveries
and morbid plauges too

people die
tempers fly
you're never too old-
to cry

who will ever explain why
why do wise men never try
it leaves only religion left-
to lie

all this is gone
say good-bye
reasons why
in a child's eye