Just Play It Cool ~ Friday, December 5, 2025

No one gets the lowdown right from the start

---

No idea, no idea at all, the train
on its descent to the subway, went dark

of course, flashlights made each car bright enough
not a moment later, all dark again
except, I felt strange here in Chicago

genuinely freaked out, I saw a spark
even though, nothing new, I felt a rough
tug, "Hey kid, where you from?" Lights again bright
shifting, my reflection from long ago

the shock, sixteen again, forty years lost
how is this possible, nowhere near home
everyone got me sussed, am I a ghost

looking at the window, I smelled sea foam
only we had no trains, felt a bit tight
wondering, was I drunk, how to explain
despite not being old enough to know
only, I did know, my mind understood
wicked philosopher seeks not to gain
not to let on but play it cool, a kid

right, space and time travel, did the train glow
in a way, I would breeze through school, dead wood
given my marathon training, twelve years
how I could crush the competition, bid
to get into any college, but why

future possibilities I could change
riches, yes, the limit, only the sky
only I think about my mom, arrange
matters according to what is right, tears

tumble down my cheeks, how did I get old
how did I become yet again so young
even if I could pull off this challenge

something tells me, I could not be so bold
take a lesson from history and learn
as hamartia and hubris steal my tongue
real people lost lift trash bins and scavenge
the game is on, hunger is real, my turn

---

No one gets the lowdown right from the start
from "Sixteen Again" (1978) by Buzzcocks
Songwriters: Peter Shelley
Sixteen Again lyrics © Complete Music Ltd.

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