Of little paws,
innocent, precious ones
their spirit snatched. Gone.
Sold to the Chinese factories
The irony of the elephant.

They hunger for hides
for skins and bones, for coats.
Ignoring the blood
they burn plastic by the ocean -
will justice be so long to come?

A life in a cage
not a choice, taken by force
helpless and broken
how does it feel to melt
when polar ice caps are home?

In the beginning,
authority was given,
with responsibility
for ours is a gift, but why
do we throw Consciousness away?

Of little paws,
innocent, precious ones
their spirit snatched. Gone.
Sold to the Chinese factories
The irony of the elephant.

They hunger for hides
for skins and bones, for coats.
Ignoring the blood
they burn plastic by the ocean -
will justice be so long to come?

A life in a cage
not a choice, taken by force
helpless and broken
how does it feel to melt
when polar ice caps are home?

In the beginning,
authority was given,
with responsibility
for ours is a gift, but why
do we throw Consciousness away?

I realized some truth today
that you gotta sing
to get your troubles away
you gotta play
to drive your doubts away

when my woman told me she
loves the blues
didn't i know
like the good lord do
she take em away too

im like a preacher
so set in my ways
so concerned with graves

i need a woman lordy
she got to need me only
i wanna leave her her heart
and soul everything
except lonely

oh fine woman sittin' next to me
oh, dont you
dont you say we'll meet again

to think she says to me the blues
i love the blues
but how'd i know
like the good lord do
she take em away too

Why do I always have a quarter tank of gas?
Didn’t I fill up yesterday?
Why doesn’t the sky make up its mind?
Is it cloudy or sunny?
What’s going on?
Should I take my glasses off?
Or leave them on?

Where did the time go?
Didn’t I have a lot to do today?
Why don’t I make up my mind?
Am I cloudy? Are you blue?
Where am I going?
Should I have taken that last turn?
Where this road goes, I don’t know?

Why do I always feel half empty?
And why not always half full?
Why aren’t I a better person?
Why can’t make up my mind?

What’s going on?
Should I take my glasses off?
Or leave them on?
Why why why why why
Why do I always have a quarter tank of gas?
Why why why why why?

I have read the words of prophets,
Never in their own hand.
I have seen the words of people
Written about the land.

These are their stories, their tales
As far as I can guess;
These are their thoughts, their hearts,
As deep as they confess.

Miscellaneous task associate,
I was a stock boy no one noticed
Carved into the wooden handrail
Of the stairs leading to the loft:
     "Will I survive?
     Will you survive?
     I think we will.
     I know you will."

Entertained by “Angles and Demons”
Which was quite good, I’d seen it.
In the Movie Theater bathroom, I saw etched
In the tile above the urinal this truth:
     "And he said unto the people
     The only true commandment
     Is thou shalt be strong."

Who is it writing on the stall’s walls?
Pranksters, fools, are they all
Writing without rhyme or reason?
Poetry’s mockers, do they commit treason!
     "Be sure to wipe the seat
     But be warned
     Healthy crabs can jump 10 feet."

This man must have been sad
To contemplate this way, poor lad
He needs to share his lamentation
At his lot in life, his poor celebration:
     "I should have been a pair of ragged claws
     Scuttling across the floors of silent seas."

(hopefully, more to come, people write things on the walls
in strange, special places, I need more ideas here to continue)

I felt truth
that lit my past in light
effaced blurry vision
what passed did not fade away
and I saw
what I was like
has always been as I am now
there are no bad things
just happenings

I saw in a second
that every minute until now
time has only been long
but I am still surprised
at how fast it’s turning
the clouds above
into blue
I can see
in the clear day
and on this starry night, Love

In this world
there are no such things
that happen to you
inconsequential
and if you see
what you truly believe
then you will know
there are no such things
just happenings

There are no such things
as coincidences
things that happen to you
have many consequences
and if you see
what you truly believe
then you will know
there are no such things
just happenings

On the night she left me
I wished for rain
For to walk around in
In the puddles I glimpse
the darkness above
making me question
where is the one I love

On the next morning
I saw the sunrise
She was never gonna make me happy
In the puddles I glimpse
the clouds above
making me question
where is the one I love

I hear embarrassment is
the most sincere form of flattery
I’m sorry babe that I blushed
when I said to you a line
to try and take you mind
as the clouds cant be seen
on the night I wished for rain
the smile you flashed barely unreal
if I said you could make my day
with just one word, would you?
if I said you could take me through the night
with just one word, would you
Tell me your name?

On the night she left me
I wished for rain
for to walk around in

Cause I'm a country boy now
Emmylou
I don't want
to loose you.

Cause I'm a country boy now
My Emmylou
and I don't want to loose you.

Not to wake and find you there
Would make me blue
Every minute I weren't beside you.

Cause I'm a country boy now
Emmylou my blues
Fly over the mountains when I'm with ya
and I don't want you to go

Not to wake and find my Emmylou
Laying next to me in the tall grass
Would make me like the sky
the day you ever left my side.

Cause I'm your country boy now
and I don't want to loose you.

All you need to do
Is needn’t worry
About the time it takes
Your love is coming back to you

All you say
All you do
Your love is coming back to you

All you need to do
Is needn’t worry
If you forget the way

Pay attention to what you say
Be in control of what you choose
And choose to do

All you say
All you do
Will put love back into you

All you need to do
Is needn’t worry
About the time it takes
Your love is coming back to you

no thing special
no thing special for me you see
no thing special
no thing special
but your love you see
no thing special
no thing special for me you see
no thing special
no thing special
but your love you see

I wanted to hold you in my arms
have you anytime of year you see

I wanted not to miss you
have a grand new year

I wanted to hold you in my arms
but I guess its not to be

no thing special
no thing special you see
no thing special
no thing special for me

but your love you see
no thing special
no thing special for me you see
no thing special
no thing special
but your love you see

These words are string
This songs strung round
These words of string
This songs strung round

So don’t get caught up
In the web you made
If you can get up away
Beyond the realm unsaid

These words are string
This worlds strung round
These wanders string
This worlds strung round

So don’t get caught up
In the web you’ve made
If you can get away
Beyond the realm of said things known
Things unsaid unknown understood
It’s better to be there
I heard they once said
It’s better to be good

Where are you going?
Mama, I need to wander
Realize how to find my way home
Mama, I need to wander again
Realize how to get home

I put a house in some one
And they’ve gone away
Mama, I need to wander
How many ways can you say
you love some one?

I thought of you
I took all the right roads
to get to you

All you need to do
Is needn’t worry

I drove all the roads
I took you down
to get to you

And where are you?
Do you see me?
I didn’t see you

All you need to do
Is needn’t worry
I’ll get back to you

All you need to do is love
All you to do is needn’t worry
All you need to do is love

is this dualism?
have I been made the fool
-- of my mind?
tricking myself with questions
question will I listen?

I don't know
whose even up there
(in my head)
if it was me then they'd listen
to me -- just shut up a sec

I don't want you
to feel like you
gotta put your head down
while we walk
by each other.

So I do,
but don't you do it too.
Unless of course you want to.

I want to believe in Heaven
like my mother does.

I don't want to realize total enlightenment
as much as I want to look at the moon
like you do.

And know the faces.
Your mother and father
are looking down from Heaven
with sister Cathy.
(I’ve never told you
I think I feel her presence
in the wind sometimes
when I play my guitar
outside the Chapel of Mary.)

You told me
your father used to look
at the moon
in the same way you do.
He taught you to
to know you'll be with him again.

I'm glad I can go upstairs
and see your face in the living room
because you’re loved.
Mum, you showed me more
than any spiritual awakening.

It is spiritual awakening.
Love.
I see it now.
Birth.
What you did for me.

And I'll always see your face
in the moon.

1. . .early September
   nine months down
   and cooling off
   2. . .upon the hill
   by the bench of the martyr
   sit with me ,fall
   3. . .and it’s the truth
   have to make peace
   time to live ,move on
   4. . .what’s done is done
   I didn’t lie ,I was honest
   I was smoking a joint
   5. . .now I’m sure
   what comes around goes around
   ,a glimpse of kensho
   6. . .things went bad
   and things got worse
   next verse
   7. . .prepare for the evening
   take a nap
   then sleep throu nite
   8. . .calamine lotion
   red rashes are so itchy
   I want a turn ‘em pink
   9. . .October looking
   like a sickening friend
   slowly going bald
   10. . .hide those sad blue eyes
   there’s no reason more to cry
   time time time just time
   11. . .on these rainy days
   tree trunks disguise themselves green
   birches wear brown dirt
   12. . .crackling wet wood
   smells earthy and feels warm
   dries my wet feet
   13. . .‘you’re looking good tom’
   this beautiful woman says
   she was out of tumultuous dreams
   14. . .last relationship ends
   by giving away my dharma books
   new one starts with Vonnegut
   15. . .muted trumpet sings
   Laura see your face before me
   skin white as moon’s light
   16. . .put your glasses down
   brush black hair back smiling ,lips
   will you let me kiss
   17. . .talking to a girl
   funny to be in bed at home
   she’s so far away alone
   18. . .by the wood pile
   under fading light of fall sun
   feet up . . .
   19. . .been waking up
   earlier an earlier still
   before an alarm
   20. . .look at me
   I’m like a child
   don’t know what do with myself
   21. . .pilgrimage ends
   exactly where it begins
   dream in soft bed
   22. . .I’ve been giving in to body
   but I won’t argue
   . . . I’m tired
   23. . .it’s silly to fight
   our desire in each small breath
   syncopated lungs
   24. . .wish I couldn't hear
   sitting on a fell maple
   the highway's song
   25. . .harry those foot steps
   the days are growing shorter
   let’s call it a night
   26. . .blue jay talk talks
   perched in a tree with orange leaves
   three more in a pine
   27. . .knocking at the door?
   rapping music tapping ,no one
   just you woodpecker
   28. . .I don’t like alone
   the frogs don’t have to croon
   all songs my dirges
   29. . .intoxicate me!
   alcohols no good! I’m a mess!
   where’s happiness?
   30. . .stretch me legs
   minds restless walking drives
   away thoughts others think
   31. . .sight of me is sad
   I can’t get high on what I see
   it’s depressing
   32. . .hurricane howls
   wind and rain hounding land
   dogs on the warpath
   33. . .special time of day
   drive with headlights on
   wearing sun glasses
   34. . . we were together
   waking dreams of our shared love
   then I woke up twice
   35. . .only in nature
   would you try to move mountains
   or simply boulders
   36. . . “decidedly its finter”
   my friend steps  out door and shivers
   “or it’s wall”
   37. . .take coat off in car
   that way it feels warmer when out
   meditating with the woods
   38. . .universe a lines
   bestowing me providence
   write lays in insists
   39. . .Sols rays supporting
   preemptive wake up heaven
   lucid bed scenes seen
   40. . .after image froze
   ephemeral flash before eyed
   phantasms in dark
   41. . .wait not yet fading
   once all the leaves have fell dead
   fall songs will end
   42. . .coffee after noon
   why what a disgraceful sight
   unless it’s cup two
   43. . .ankle deep in leaves
   the piles lead to belief
   autumn still no snow
   44. . .well winter it’s here!
   those leaves hanging rebels cause
   they are still smilin’
   45. . .yerraerrr!
   shaking of the cold shiver
   warm in my motions
   46. . .first snow this season
   first week of November come
   truly still the fall
   47. . .eye dilate add light
   world suddenly brighter
   how about that
   48. . .realize soft poise
   you forgot how long you meditated
   now legs now numb
   49. . .I know yourself
   thought you would want me
   I brought you paper
   50. . .it’s not too cold yet
   you may still enjoy a walk
   so long as you go
   51. . .wind chills these trees
   see how they shake their limbs
   death dance’s pretty
   52. . .can’t you behold
   in some trees the same awe
   as the finer sex?

Have I been born before
and died before now--
I was born again?

I love you again--
you've always been the one--
you out there we’ve met before now.

We died before
we were born again--
I love you again.

There’s only the searching left
she’s out there wandering
like Eve in the garden.

I always think of her
in the evening
I dream of her.

Did before--
we were born again--
I remembered to--

Love you again--
always been the one--
before now--

I love you again,
why I love dreaming of her,
like Eve in the garden.

Bright city lights flickering
casting shadows along cold cement streets
dreaming of the ocean's breeze
sirens sound in the dead night
taunting visions escape it all.

I look to the traffic
humming by and then
to the moon which consumed me
in stolen thoughts behind loving eyes
together two will reach blue seas.

An epiphany shared equally
waves of anticipation wash over our feet
and we began to flee
free minds bounding awake
open our eyes on shores smile wide.

Moved in unspeakable ways as
the sun displays a peak of a waking dawn
crawling over us
paradise in a sunbeam
is like a star of hope in the night sky.

We followed that hope
as distant as it may have seemed
we found each other
as we knew one another
in the city two together.