Chapter 1: Hurrah! Hurrah!

Dear brothers and sisters,
dear enemies and friends:

Why are we all so alone here?
All we need is a little more hope, a little more joy.
All we need is a little more light, a little less weight, a little more freedom.

So tangle - oh tangle us up in bright red ribbons!
Let's have a parade.
It's been so long since we had a parade, so let's have a parade!
Let's invite all our friends,
And all our friends' friends!
Let's promenade down the boulevards with terrific pride and light in our eyes;
Twelve feet tall and staggering--
Sick with joy with the angels there and light in our eyes.

Brothers and sisters, hope still waits in the wings like a bitter spinster;
Impatient, lonely and shivering, waiting to build her glorious fires.
It's because of our plans man; our beautiful ridiculous plans.
Let's launch them like careening jetplanes.
Let's crash all our planes in the river.
Let's build strange and radiant machines.