Whatever It Takes

When you
Turned
On me
At four thirty
This morning.
I felt more
Alone
Then if
You were
Already gone.



What’s
Worth looking at
Is her ass
Swaying gently
To the sound
Of lousy music
Playing in the
Background.



Four o’clock in the afternoon
I’m going to bed

My baby’s in Chicago
I’m in the desert
Listening to Muddy Waters
Crawlin’ down a foothill

A snake in my backyard
Two coyotes hanging on a tree

My daddy’s a great man
Just like me

Might climb a little mountain
Might rob a bank
Might look for a job
Might catch that rattlesnake


Too many jerk offs sitting at the bar
Not enough humanity hanging around this war zone
Too much long division
Not enough simple addition in your tone of voice while we sit around drinking wine and discussing our future
Too many rivers to cross
Not enough light to get it done before dark
Too much
Not enough
What the fuck
Am I supposed to do
Too many trees
Not enough sun pouring through



I howled
Like a wounded dog
At the invisible moon
I came home wet
You made me
A bacon sandwich
And said
Baby you have to
Stop beating yourself up



It has been a long hard road through rain and snow and wind. I haven't given up and that's something I guess.

I will

I will
Wait
On the bluff
Beside
The river
Forever
For you to walk
Out of the fog.

I will
Cross
Oceans of time
Walk across
The frozen beach
Through
A cold north wind
To the lighthouse
And back
To find
You again.

I will
Drive
Across the country
Find you
In a cave
In the desert
And tell you
I am sorry
For treating you
Like a queen.

Love

Love isn’t supposed
To be perfect.

Love just hangs around
To make us less lonely.

And feel real bad.
How do you feel baby?

Not so hot I bet.

My Father My Brother And I

We
Love
Dogs
And
Dope
And
Golf
And
Laying
On
The
Couch
Watching
Football
What
We
Fear
Most
Is
Running
Out
Of
Smokes
On
Holidays
After
Dinner
We
Get
Drunk
And
Yell
At
Each
Other

Julia

Julia calls late and
Tells me that
I’m her north star.
She grew up in a small town
Outside of Boston.

She’s a hairdresser.

The best this side of the train tracks and
There’s at least ten.

Julia has a wooden leg
A perfect nose and
Straight teeth. But she’s
Awful sad
Sadder than me and
I’m sad enough.

Her father’s a cheap
Mean
Little
Prick.
The first time I met Julia’s mom
She got mad 'cause I wouldn’t kiss her.

The old goat.

I shook her hand.
That was bad enough.
I’m not your north star
I say.
Yes you are.
I’m thankful for that
One of us says.

At two AM
You sometimes
Need someone
To tell you passionate lies
With a forked tongue.

Julia is one of the best storytellers
In the world and
I always listen

And I always will
Until she gets tired of the telling.

When The Sun Goes Down

It's a lot easier
To hit you

Than rub your shoulders
Or buy you roses
Or listen to your stories.

Reprise

You’re talking like a man with a paper asshole - my father said.
I handed him a beer.
We were driving down Wisconsin Avenue.
I was on leave.
If you can’t make it in the Army you can’t make it anywhere - my father said.

Playing country music is easier than fucking a black girl - my father said, sat at my keyboard and played Tonight I Started Loving You Again.
I can play this shit with a broken arm drunk on my ass, good thing too, he added and laughed.

Some of the best dope in the world resides in Nashville - My father said and poured scotch in a glass.
So you’re moving there - I asked.
Have to, I need a job.

My father visited me in jail once.
You’re a fucking idiot - he said and smiled - how’s your mother?
What do you care - I asked.
I still care about your mother - he said.
Well she doesn't care about you anymore. I don’t know why she ever did.