Tricks Up a Sleeve
Once upon a time
In the land of make believe
Lived a ruler who ruled
With a trick up his sleeve
Not just one trick
Oh, he had so many
In all sizes and shapes
A million and twenty
He could pull out a trick
At the drop of a hat
Or the howl of the wind
Or the shriek of a cat
Fly a kite in the air
That rose on his words
In the land of make believe
He was king of absurd
So many they loved him
And the tricks up his sleeve
For they did not know
This was just make believe
They yelled and they screamed
Wherever he went
He was not mere king
He was theirs, heaven sent
He could make something
From nothing at all
Or turn something huge
Into smaller than small
For those who disliked him
He had bad words a plenty
Filled buckets and buckets
A million and twenty
Until one day came
A trick picker upper
All arms and legs
Eating tricks for its supper
Whether under a rock
Or high on a tree
Touching the sky
Or deep in the sea
There was no place
For those tricks to hide
They begged and pleaded
They shouted, they cried
And then in the land
Of make believe
The king soon found
No tricks up his sleeve
Nothing to let him
Turn day into night
Or lies into truth
Or wrong into right
No more could he count
Out a million and twenty
Not even one
For sure that's not plenty
And when make believe
No longer would do
He no longer ruled
Over one or a few
A king with no kingdom
A shirt with no sleeve
No tricks left to offer
He just had to leave
So the point of this story
The end of this tale
Is tricks up a sleeve
Will one day just fail
For tricks up a sleeve
Is but nothing at all
And a kingdom of nothing
Is certain to fall