Well, here is the latest draft ... Still no definite title... I think it's getting to where I want it to be -- slowly.

I am trying, in this song, to set it up as a conflict between those who want to maintain the status quo of the military-industrial complex, and those who want to break that status quo, and shift the focus back to the power of the individual living in peace and with other humans.

The final verse, as I posted it above, has a very different rhythm and meter from the rest of the verses, and I think it may do nicely as that coda I was contemplating. As it stands now, the first three verses are in the voice of "Them", arguing for the maintainance of the status-quo, but I'd like to cut that segment down, if I can figure out where I am being the most redundant (any suggestions?). The last three verses (2 and a half, actually, 'cause I'm a bit stuck) are the pro-magic rebuttal, and I may cut that down, too. I'm also considering putting a little verslet (as MMario put it) at the beginning, which defines magic as the power to create change, and turn the world upside down (which would have the effect of having "them" cut in and say: "What nonsense!"). And I'm trying to find a way to make a graceful shift from "I" to "we".

"Magic is just for children
in the Realm of Neverland
where boys are boys forever
with their captain Peter Pan.
"Magic is just for children,
and for other simple minds.
The power that can change the world
only hard earned cash can buy."

"Living, it is a struggle,
it has always been that way.
You must not trust a stranger.
You must learn to know your place.
"Power is for the Gen'rals,
and for those who trade with gold.
You must work with the system, and
you must do just as you're told.

"Spir-its will never guide you.
There are no enchanted rings.
There are no mothers' blessings
that can change the way of things.
"Magic is just for children."
Were the words they said to me.
"Now just grow up, and face the facts,
for the facts are there to see."

But ev'ry tale of magic
that's been told throughout the years
repeats the same thing over
with a message loud and clear:
Magic, it is the power
that is born from Life's own force:
It flows just like a river bright
and unites us at the core.

Magic, it is the power
that can break the chains that bind
and shat-ter walls be-tween us.
No, I won't leave that behind

River of joy and power,
I still feel it in my veins
I'll not deny this truth so strong
and that joy I will reclaim.

Knowing this strength within me,
with intent and chanted rhyme,
I'll work to heal the wounded
and to soothe the haunted mind.

BTW, I downloaded the midi to Puff the Magic Dragon, and pulled it up in my Noteworthy Composer program, to see how well the lyrics really did match with the tune -- and they didn't match at all (!), even though I still "heard" them to that melody in my head (just goes to show the insidiousness of a 'stuck tune'). So I picked a drum patch from my midi list, and wrote a monotone score, so that it would play back only the rhythm, and I tweaked and twiddled it until it matched, more or less, what I'd expect the rhythm of these lines to be in normal speach, then I went back and added changes in pitch to match emotional inflection. I discovered that the meter of the verses alternated between 2 consistant patterns, which is why what had been 12-odd verses of 4 lines, are now 6 odd verses of 8 -- but I suspect that will change to be shorter, when I figure out which verses to cut.