the greater picture

iíve been watching too much of the evening news for my own good

and iíve been reading too much of the fine print than i should

the space between my ears gets a little denser each day

as iíve been taking in everything everybody has to say

but i know the greater picture doesnít offer me that much

theyíve been tearing down buildings and putting the same ones back up

but you canít build anew just using the ground

youíve got to use what you got

youíve got to use whatís around you

you can change the light bulbs, the fixtures, and all the lamps

but the new light alone doesnít mean anything has really advanced

these walls tell more than textbooks could ever prove

these windows see farther than documents ever do

but i know the greater picture doesnít offer me that much

theyíve been tearing down buildings and putting the same ones back up

but you canít build anew just using the ground

youíve got to use what you got

youíve got to use whatís around you

i got a structure of support beams to tell me where to stand

i got cinderblocks of decades to tell me who i am

i know history owes me nothing but i owe something to its truths

to put this little body carrying around this soul to good use

but i know the greater picture doesnít offer me that much

theyíve been tearing down buildings and putting the same ones back up

but you canít build anew just using the ground

youíve got to use what you got

youíve got to use whatís around you

before you lose what's around you