They paved paradise

And put up a building lot

With 34,000 square feet

And 200 cars on the street

Don’t it always seem to go

That you don’t know what you’ve got

‘Til it’s gone

They paved paradise

And put up a building lot

They took all the trees

And removed half of the wetlands

Then they charged the people

To double the footprint of the recycling land

Don’t it always seem to go,

That you don’t know what you’ve got

‘Til it’s gone

They paved paradise

And put up a building lot

Hey Mercer Island City Council

Put away that dealing now

Go build your big shiny MICA somewhere

But LEAVE me the birds and the bees

Please!

Don’t it always seem to go

That you don’t know what you’ve got

‘Til its gone

They paved paradise

And put up a building lot

Late last night

I heard that screen door slam

And a big yellow bulldozer

took away the center and land

Don’t it always seem to go

That you don’t know what you’ve got

‘Til it’s gone

They paved paradise

And put up a building lot

I said

Don’t it always seem to go

That you don’t know what you’ve got

‘Til it’s gone

They paved paradise

And put up a building lot

They paved paradise

And put up a building lot

(Adapted from and to the tune of “Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell).

Dennis Chong

Mercer Island