Hopes and Dreams of the Ordinary Man

We gathered for the big parade
As the Salvation Army band played
We were gathered along the way
The music flowed like lemonade
And dreams blew around like ticker tape
Looking for a way to escape

And we hummed a marching tune
Seven deep there was not much room

We waived flags in the summer breeze
Someone lit up and the children sneezed
As the old salt spoke and everyone around him listened
He said the worst storm was back in forty-five
The world was struggling to survive
With Harry S. Truman spouting the buck stops here

And we listened closely, no one daring to breathe
As sargeant's band continued to play a marching reprieve

Now with the evening came the storm
We watched the rain gather and start to fall
As the old salt rustled up his dreams
His eyes misty from forgotten memories
You could see them dancing in his thoughts
And among the battles that he once fought...

And we hummed a marching tune
Seven deep there was not much room
We danced on to that marching band
Such as were the hopes and dreams of the ordinary man...