The Tao of Being Shallow

Shallow hopes and shallow dreams,
How shallow it all seems,
Shallow me and shallow you,
Speaking shallow points of view.

Shallow logic, shallow games,
All are different yet the same,
Shallow is the way to win,
Deep is out, shallow’s in.

So we dance this shallow dance,
Overblown and enhanced,
Airbrushed and colorized,
Making out with shallow eyes.

Deep’s uptight, while shallow’s free,
Shallow is the way to be,
Every day and every night
Shallow is our guiding light.

Deep is shallow, shallow’s deep,
Shallow is the way to keep
Them all guessing what it means,
Shallow is designer jeans.

Shallow is philosophy
Drunk on language surgery,
Cutting edge like MTV,
Shallow is our history.

Sing, young bards, your shallow songs,
Being shallow can’t be wrong,
Worldwide customers are served
With a product they deserve.

Deep is boring, shallow’s fun,
Have a flower, have a gun,
Love and hate are all the same—
It’s all just a shallow game.

Can somebody tell me why
There is just a shallow sky,
Shallow stars and shallow seas,
Shallow mountains, shallow trees?

All is plastic, all is false,
We build homes with shallow walls,
Keeping depth and pain away,
Shallow is the only way.

Expert witnesses agree:
Shallow is the missing key
To the puzzle of the deep,
So we all can get some sleep.

I’m tired, I’m bored,
Someone’s having fun next door
With a penis or a knife—
Shallow is our way of life.

It’s been awesome, it’s been great,
Yet I wouldn’t hesitate
To request before I sleep
Something real, something deep.
 

                                August 22, 1994
                             --Alexander Shaumyan