|
1. |
|
|
|
|
you put it all behind you
you rebuilt and moved on
with your silver spray paint and your skinny dipping at Sylt
you occupied your mind
...
you got on with your life
the only way you knew how
it’s a guilt your beautiful babies
are only starting to face now
and he must be of remarkable fortitude
who could have been more courageous at Oranienburg
and so we perceive in the people and the streets
only the thing that we want to see, and nothing more
i met your father at the front porch
at first he couldn’t say my name
we didn’t share a language
so he poured us a drink
...
we were both public service
and we both loved our Dietrich in separate ways
so we learned how to ask each other questions
and talk about the these things
he must be of unthinkable cruelty
who couldn’t wait to destroy Nagasaki
so we perceive in the people and the streets
only the thing that we really want to see, and nothing more
not some deep dark truth they hold in themselves
or the love their eyes seem to confess
or some shame averted left there to redress
it’s just a cold and tired impression
nothing more
when our eyes meet, it’s too brief
an old habit learned from pock-marked tenements
we sleep so close that we seek some space
though we’re not that close at all
|
|
2. |
|
|
|
|
I'm kinda disheartened
why shell of what I started
but, just in case you get nosey
I'm gonna lose the posies
that’s when you come out
and catch me on the roof
I'm not afraid of falling
but I'm scared of you
years and I'm still cowed
by the way your so proud
If I'm just like your mother
I wish I found another
it's just like you wanted
I'm stuck and your haunted
now if I could be seen
you might not be so mean
that’s when you come out
and catch me on the roof
I'm not afraid of falling
but I'm scared of you
oh, what’s a good ghost supposed to do?
|
|
3. |
|
|
|
|
Gold Dust
Back in forty-nine
My Sierra claim went dry
Packed my pans
Shook no hands
Didn’t even say goodbye
Heard ‘bout a stike
Near a place that I don’t like
Should I go?
I don’t know
Ridin’ in the rain
With a northbound wagon train
Sold my horse
With no remorse
Need a drink to kill the pain
There ain’t no road
Leadin’ to the Mother Lode
Should I go?
I don’t know
Four shades of mud
Whiskey colored blood
Lookin’ for some dust in my bowl
Back bent in pain
I’m lookin’ for the vein
Gold is the color of my soul
Tendin’ bar in Jackson Hole
After quittin’ Idaho
Made some cash
Grabbed my stash
Deadwood – there I go
I hope to find
A claim to placer mine
Should I go?
I don’t know
Weighin’ all I pan
And drinkin’ all I can
The sometimes
I save two dimes
To pay for some whore’s hand
Forty ain’t so old
Unless you’re chasin’ gold
Should I go?
I don’t know
|
|
4. |
|
|
|
|
don’t say things like that, an onion is a living thing
even if it burns my eyes out with the force of the wind
of this cold white peak we live on
don't say things like that my darling
for these two weeks with seastars we will swim
congratulate the teamsters on their new seaplanes
if you could see those big red birds swoop down for a landing
you might not say things like that
while there’s beauty in this world, I’ll see to it
while there’s some kick in this girl, I’m gonna use it, I’ll abuse it
is that the pulse of electrons
or the woodwind release
the sawbreath overhead that shaves back all the eucalyptus trees
or just a line in a verse
don't say things like that my darling
for these two weeks, at least,
we’ll drive as fast as we can
play upon the fears of the world we’re living in
and not the world we’ve been given
you don’t say things like that
where there’s beauty in this world, you see through it
you never learned how to fight, and you can’t out-drive this need to be right
|
|
5. |
|
|
|
|
There's only so much a girl can take
before she lashes out
Tatiana's shown restraint
but now she's showing doubt
and there's plenty of blame
to spread around
all of it for men
Tatiana's not alone
when she comes for them
sometimes the years can't hold back
what you're meant to do
and we build the walls thinking
that the wilds gone from you
and there's plenty of blame
to spread around
all of it for men
tatiana's not alone
when she comes for them
christmas dinner is gone
and they take her head along
don't pretend you can tame
they can't legislate respect
when they write the law
But Tatiana will let you know
when she shows her claw
and there's plenty of blame
to spread around
all of it for men
tatiana's not alone
when she comes for them
christmas dinner is gone
and they take her head along
don't pretend you can tame
part of my heart breaks
for who she's taken from
and another for the thing they tried
to make her become
and still the blame's at the feet
of those who stand upright
tatiana was beautiful and she's always right
|
|
6. |
|
|
|
|
Remember that garage sale when we got drunk
and stole everything that we could
I knew right then you were meant for me
cause you knew I was no good
maybe it's the swagger that I smell
maybe it's the rough night
but nothings sweeter than
when you meet her
and know that your both right
and it's long, long long past time
to turn this train around
that ain't even how a train works
so before you make a sound
take a deep, deep deep deep breathe
and promise me one thing
you'll be gone before I'm wrong
and I won't remember a thing
there's something about the way you dirty talk
when I call you on your husband's phone
tickles me more than all the times
You've tickled me in his home
winter's here and so's the storm
you've been trying to grow
sometimes you start the wind just with how you blow
|
|
7. |
|
|
|
|
I crossed to the shady side of the street
I needed a change of scenery
I missed long cries and long sleeves
A little bitter to balance out the sweet
A cold edge will wake you from your sleep
Remind you of the things you’ll never see
And an old hard bed will keep you keen
like this February frost preserves your dreams
I missed you before I let you go
I stayed past my welcome, now I know
But your tears can’t rain down on me
back here on the sunny side of the street
|
|
8. |
|
|
|
|
still I recall the first time I kissed her
nervous and shy cause I knew her sister
delicate peck and you made my night
so high
Let's get high
loving you's the best I try
let's get high
let's get high
your skins feels best next to mine
trade after trade you stay in sight
you be the left and I'll be the right
you be the mrs. and I'll be the Mr.
so high
Let's get high
loving you's the best I try
let's get high
let's get high
your skins feels best next to mine
every turn since she's still quite
no less than every hurts in the night
counting up all the times that I've missed her
less than the nights when we played twister
so high
Let's get high
loving you's the best I try
let's get high
let's get high
your skins feels best next to mine
every night until I die
let's get high
let's get high
any way we gotta try
|
|
9. |
|
|
|
|
When my head gets full, I lose my cool and wander this town of thieves
where no one is ugly, no one except for me
through thrills and spills and late night bills where the music’s always too loud
you save me for kindness, though I know it by another name
before my tea cools, you set me straight
It’s an awful shame I can’t reciprocate
Back in your sparse white apartment where I never feel safe
you patiently wait for the haunt of my senses to leave
you stare at that ghost til he swears he’ll go, pray never give me those eyes
I thought you were cruel, now I know that it’s some kind of prize
You saved me from my own frailties
more times than I can bear to recall
If I could do that for you now
but this little brown bird knows his place too well
my best intentions belie a wicked surprise and old convictions I can’t explain
if you don’t see it coming, how can you close your eyes?
If I’ve rambled too long, well I’ve always known the bad luck starting from a blank page
so let me top of your glass and I’ll begin from the very top
|
|
10. |
|
|
|
|
I wander in to your allegheny myth
bearing my god-given gifts
i know they don't amount to much
but it’s what I got to give
what can I do but show them off
to the birds and trees?
they won't laugh, they won't refuse the show
given simple and free
if I thought that you would read them seriously
I would write you letters in pentameter
and break my lines just how you taught me to, oh Susannah
break away from this Allegheny myth, oh Susannah
learn to sing for some one else, oh Susannah
while I find these buckwheat dreams in my daddy's drink
oh, Susannah, your lorelei won't let me be
but there’s one thing with you I still disagree:
I can wander, I can gallop through these trees
with this fiery, ornamental truth I sing
it’s just a poem, Susannah,
not quite a lie
a sunny way to go while we’re lost alike
|
|
11. |
|
|
|
|
Watching the waves wash away
evidence of what we drew in sand today
seabirds are playing in the breeze
calling to each other to head for open seas
ashes to ashes
that's how it's said to go
does the cycle end
I don't really know
moment to moment none larger than the rest
some regrets I think of
I wish I could redress
Watching the waves wash away
evidence of what we drew in sand today
breathing in the blue summer sky
grateful for the moments
shared by you and I
|
|
12. |
|
|
|
|
I tread into her very nature
just as quiet and as fleet as I may step
taking in the things that she has given
giving her back my very breath
venturing the highlands and the lowlands
mountaintops and valleys oh so low
shady creeks where Grandma's ashes linger
I journey where others seldom go
It's well enough, it's plenty to content me
It's fair enough to say that I'm in love
with the one thing in this world that terrifies me,
with the one thing that provides a little hope
So I tread into her very nature
just as quiet and as fleet as I may go
lest the day may come when through my own misfortune
I must step back from her long-neglected shores
|
|
13. |
|
|
|
|
For days we dance sloppy on the table
Sleep with our clothes half on
We smoke and drink and fill each other
with empty promises and regrets
I could chose to stay innocent,
I choose to be your victim instead
That my love is the beauty of unrequited love
So lovesick and filled with longing
It wants to pull me down
She can't confine herself to the weekend
She wants to pull me down
The moment she opens her door
I know exactly who I am
Hers is a old but lovely tune
That goes on longer than I can stand
The more closely I listen to her lyrics
The less and less I understand
But I listen over and over and over again
It's beautiful out with our friends on the night
It's terrible when we get back home and fight
If we could find the balance between might and right
We could save all the forlorn lovers lives
In the end it's me who I've gotta amuse
In the end it's me gotta go what I do
It's a hard truth but when it's just us two
Well then what's the truth?
I could chose to stay innocent,
I choose to be your victim instead
That my love is the beauty of unrequited love
|
|
14. |
|
|
|
|
steward am I
to his grace biloxy
trustworthy aid
squire to his needs
bound to obey
I’ll serve without questions
showing my heart
would surely displease
enamored of her
the lady biloxy
daughter of lord, master to me
fearful I’d be to show my attraction
wearing my heart as though it were a sleeve
called to kings court
the master and lady
dressed to attend in regal attire
head bowing low
I chance to glance upward
freezing this moment, my heart in a mire
long golden hair, braided and framing
eyes so aware, mirthful and bright
lips of vermillion
upturned and smiling
matching the gown she wears this night
nobles and dukes
nights and their ladies
pose to attract the king’s roving eye
master biloxy would further his station
should that his daughter marry on high
king did approach and ask of the lady
to whom she was promised,
the lady said none
perhaps she’d enjoy attentions of royalty
master biloxy knew he had won
dawn did approach
I climbed to her windowb
dagger in hand, blinded in mind
never she’d know another man’s love
I’ll take her life, then I’ll take mine
|
|
15. |
|
|
|
|
It may seem obvious
but hind sight, so often is
you hear the siren, but never think twice
you comply and a more so nice
next thing you know it hits you in the plexus
turns out that love is illegal in texas
What jury on earth, would dare to convict
who ever has to be so strict
and why can't we all agree the man's earned his pass
society, don't keep him off the grass
just one state, steadfast from the nexus
and still love is illegal in texas
sir I guarantee, it would only be fine
if you were on the other side, of the Mendocino county line
any officer here, would give you a scolding
if he found that you weren't holding
but all theses pleas, they're met with deafness
cause you know love is illegal in texas
It breaks my heart, they still vex us
just keeping love, illegal in texas
it boggles the mind, how the man he wrecks us
and still theres love, illegal in texas….
|
|
16. |
|
|
|
|
peace fell behind me
voices fled the room
peace fell behind me
as you learn to trust your ears’ good news
Little boy, quivering man
try to push it down, best you can
here I live, under your skin
tacking you, tacking you
burning in my lungs and my legs
dream us alive
things I cannot tell her to her face
we both, survive
(sure you could)
all you loveless autumn men
leaves in the wake of a train
left you coping with the knowledge
that there’s been a little change of plans
peace of mind
give me a little peace of your mind
we can’t sing
but you know we can dance, right?
notoriously seedy
the streets get pretty creepy
just as the nights grow cold
put your arm around her
say something to confound her
before she hears the same thing you do
put your arm around her
cross over to the other side
ingloriously sleazy
she feels a little queasy
she hears it now too
peace fell behind me
the quiet we all know too soon
crushing childhood fantasies
hanging like a dolly from her noose
|
|
17. |
|
|
|
|
One foot steps back
just as I am falling
tools here tempt too
something's always calling
I am losing ground
I am turning round
To you
and arms I won't forget
it's true
this top is table set
touch and she's there
just wait for me to call you
this pipe I swear
falls more than I do
more and you're there for me
I tick for what I can't see
Of you
and arms I won't forget
it's true
this top is table set
|
|
18. |
|
|
|
|
please tell me you didn’t bring flowers
i forgot
please don’t ask me if I’m still sour
i will not
these little things meant to ease the pain
that you pushed in my hand and then skulked away
they can't buy you your innocence
I'm the truth
and I'm coming for you
you put your hand in the cookie jar
I did not
it came out clean but you went too far
I did not
the disappointment on mammas face could break a grown man's heart in two
why do you do the things you do?
Do you remember the last thing you said to me?
or anything at all about our late late night?
I used to love to leave you
now I can’t hardly deceive you
turn off the light, i don’t wanna fight anymore
I’m the truth
And I’m coming for you
|
|
19. |
|
|
|
|
Lyndsey won’t sing for me no more
I hear her in the shower behind the bathroom door
Lyndsey won’t sing for me no more
everyone has something they want to say
when they try to tell her
she just walks away
Lyndsey can’t listen to what you say
sometimes in her dreams
she still hears the noise
and instead she thinks that she’s lost her voice
Lyndsey sings when she’s alone
I hear her when she thinks that I’m not home
her voice is still beautiful
till she starts to cry
|
released January 1, 2011
Apr 2018
Oct 2016
May 2016
May 2013
Jun 2012
Jan 2011
Mar 2010
Jan 2010
Mar 2009
Dec 2011
