Old Father Time checked, so there'd be no doubt
Called on the north wind to come on out
Then cupped his hands so proudly to shout
La-di-da, di-da-di-dum, 'tis Autumn
The trees say they're tired, they've born too much fruit
Charmed all the wayside, there's no dispute
Now shedding leaves, they don't give a hoot
La-di-da, di-da-di-dum, 'tis Autumn
Then the birds got together
To chirp about the weather, mmm
After makin' their decision
In birdie-like precision
Turned about and made a bee-line to the south
My holding you close really is no crime
Ask the birds, the trees, and Old Father Time
It's just to help the mercury climb
La-di-da, di-da-di-dum, 'tis Autumn
It's just to help the mercury climb
La-di-da, di-la-di-dum, 'tis Autumn

I just sent my grandkids
A video montage
Of heroic dogs saving the life of their
Owners
And told them if they want a dog
They should show it to their mum
If those kids ever need an alibi
I’d surely give them one
The next video I sent to them
Was of a prank
Feeding seagulls at the beach
French fries mixed with laxatives
On a busy, sunny day
If it ever comes about
The seagull huge **** spout
Don’t ask me who did it
I’ll never say

Once upon a time
I waited for you
Anticipation
For when you’d come through
Sometimes often
Often sometimes
No way to predict
Waiting for unreliability
Gets old really quickly
Now, I hardly notice
But sometimes I still check to see
I am past it,
Mostly

I wish to see you do
Happy  poetry
Like you used to

The chain of events
Sometimes unpredictable
But often not
You knew what your actions were leading to
It’s no surprise to anyone what you got
That doesn’t mean we don’t wish it went down differently
But when you keep your eyes closed
Don’t expect us to feel sorry that you cannot see

I see you suffering
Behind the mask
Of smiles
That never reach your eyes
I’ve met your kind before
You would rather pretend to ignore
I do not push
I pretend too
I hope that is the best thing
To do for you

My God is Nature
And She is undeniable
Evidence everywhere
I don’t have to prove Nature exists
Nor do I have to prove her
Daily miracles
Everyone can clearly see
Fail to acknowledge
How Godlike it be
Man’s inability to settle
Compels a search for a fantasy

Sunny days when the breeze is kind
Gifts
We get used to
And sometimes forget to say
Thank you

The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful
Stop me and steal my breath
And emeralds from mountains ****** toward the sky
Never revealing their depth
And tell me that we belong together
And dress it up with the trappings of love
I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above
And I'll be your cryin' shoulder
I'll be love's suicide
And I'll be better when I'm older
I'll be the greatest fan of your life
And rain falls angry on the tin roof
As we lie awake in my bed
And you're my survival, you're my livin' proof
My love is alive and not dead
And tell me that we belong together
And dress it up with the trappings of love
I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above
And I'll be your cryin' shoulder
I'll be love's suicide
And I'll be better when I'm older
I'll be the greatest fan of your life
And I dropped out, I burned up
I fought my way back from the dead
Tuned in and turned on
Remembered the thing that you, you said
And I'll be your cryin' shoulder
I'll be love's suicide
And I'll be better when I'm older
I'll be the greatest fan of your life

As the son of a son of a sailor
I went out on the sea for adventure
Expanding their view of the captain and crew
Like a man just released from indenture

As a dreamer of dreams and a travelin' man
I have chalked up many a mile
Read dozens of books about heroes and crooks
And I've learned much from both of their styles

Son of a son, son of a son, son of a son of a sailor
Son of a gun; load the last ton
One step ahead of the jailer

Now away in the near future, southeast of disorder
You can shake the hand of the mango man
As he greets you at the border

And the lady she hails from Trinidad
Island of the spices
Salt for your meat and cinnamon sweet
And the *** is for all your good vices

Haul the sheet in as we ride on the wind that our
Forefathers harnessed before us
Hear the bells ring as the tight rigging sings
It's a son of a gun of a chorus

Where it all ends I can't fathom, my friends
If I knew, I might toss out my anchor
So I'll cruise along always searchin' for songs
Not a lawyer, a thief or a banker

But a son of a son, son of a son, son of a son of a sailor
Son of a gun, load the last ton
One step ahead of the jailer
I'm just a son of a son, son of a son, son of a son of a sailor
The sea's in my veins, my tradition remains
I'm just glad I don't live in a trailer

Anger is a common occurrence when you’re dating a *****

Does the lighthouse ever get resentful
Stuck there out on that rock
Watching all those lucky ships
Explore?
Does the lighthouse ever wish to sleep at night?
Does it look at other houses
From it’s isolated point
And see neighborhoods
Close houses, socializing
Christmas trees
House communities
Is this something the lonely lighthouse sees?

While she lays sleeping
I stay out late at night and play my songs
And sometimes all the nights can be so long
And it's good when I finally make it home, all alone
While she lays dreaming
I try to get undressed without the light
And quietly she says, "How was your night?"
And I come to her and say
"It was all right, " and I hold her tight
And she believes in me
I'll never know just what she sees in me
I told her someday if she was my girl
I could change the world
With my little songs, I was wrong
But she has faith in me
And so I go on trying faithfully
And who knows maybe on some special night
If my song is right
I will find a way
Find a way
While she lays waiting
I stumble to the kitchen for a bite
Then I see my old guitar in the night
Just waiting for me like a secret friend
And there's no end while she lays crying
I fumble with a melody or two
And I'm torn between the things that I should do
And she says to wake her up when I am through
God, her love is true
And she believes in me
I'll never know just what she sees in me
I told her someday if she was my girl
I could change the world
With my little songs, I was wrong
But she has faith in me
And so I go on trying faithfully
And who knows maybe on some special night
If my song is right
I will find a way
While she waits
While she waits
For me

He was a hard-headed man
He was brutally handsome, and she was terminally pretty
She held him up, and he held her for ransom
In the heart of the cold, cold city
He had a nasty reputation as a cruel dude
They said he was ruthless, they said he was crude
They had one thing in common
They were good in bed, she'd say
"Faster, faster, the lights are turnin' red"
surely make you lose your mind
(Life in the fast lane) yeah
Are you with me so far?
Eager for action and hot for the game
The coming attraction, the drop of a name
They knew all the right people, they took all the right pills
They threw outrageous parties, they paid heavenly bills
There were lines on the mirror, lines on her face
She pretended not to notice, she was caught up in the race
Out every evening, until it was light
He was too tired to make it, she was too tired to fight about it
surely make you lose your mind
(Life in the fast lane) yeah
(Life in the fast lane) everything, all the time
(Life in the fast lane) a-ha
Blowin' and burnin', blinded by thirst
They didn't see the stop sign, took a turn for the worse
She said, "Listen baby, you can hear the engine ring"
"We've been up and down this highway, haven't seen a ****** thing"
He said, "Call the doctor, I think I'm gonna crash"
"The doctor say he's comin', but you gotta pay him cash"
They went rushin' down that freeway, messed around and got lost
They didn't care, they were just dyin' to get off, and it was life in the fast lane
surely makes you lose your mind

I'm sayin' all the things that I know you'll like
Makin' good conversation
I gotta handle you just right
You know what I mean
I took you to an intimate restaurant
Then to a suggestive movie
There's nothin' left to talk about
Unless it's horizontally
Let's get physical, physical
I wanna get physical
Let's get into physical
Let me hear your body talk, your body talk
Let me hear your body talk
I've been patient, I've been good
Tried to keep my hands on the table
It's gettin' hard, this holdin' back
You know what I mean
I'm sure you'll understand my point of view
We know each other mentally
You gotta know that you're bringin' out
The animal in me

Money talks
But it don't sing and dance and it don't walk
And long as I can have you here with me
I'd much rather be forever in blue jeans
Honey's sweet
But it ain't nothin' next to baby's treat
And if you'd pardon me, I'd like to say
We'd do okay forever in blue jeans
Maybe tonight
Maybe tonight, by the fire
All alone, you and I
Nothing around but the sound
Of my heart and your sighs
Money talks
But it can't sing and dance and it can't walk
And long as I can have you here with me
I'd much rather be forever in blue jeans, babe
And honey's sweet
But it ain't nothin' next to baby's treat
And if you'll pardon me, I'd like to say
We'd do okay, forever in blue jeans
Maybe tonight
Maybe tonight, by the fire
All alone, you and I
Nothing around but the sound
Of my heart and your sighs

Heard it from a friend who
Heard it from a friend who
Heard it from another you been messin' around
They say you got a boyfriend
You're out late every weekend
They're talkin' about you and it's bringin' me down
But I know the neighborhood
And talk is cheaper when the story is good
And the tales grow taller on down the line
But I'm telling you, babe
That I don't think it's true, babe
And even if it is, keep this in mind
You take it on the run, baby
If that's the way you want it, baby
Then I don't want you around
I don't believe it
Not for a minute
You're under the gun
So you take it on the run
You're thinking up your white lies
You're putting on your bedroom eyes
You say you're coming home, but you won't say when
But I can feel it coming
If you leave tonight, keep running
And you need never look back again
You take it on the run, baby
If that's the way you want it, baby
Then I don't want you around
I don't believe it
Not for a minute
You're under the gun
So you take it on the run
Take it on the run, baby
If that's the way you want it, baby
Then I don't want you around
I don't believe it
Not for a minute
You're under the gun
So you take it on the run
Take it on the run, baby
If that's the way you want it, baby
Then I don't want you around
I don't believe it
Not for a minute
You're under the gun
So you take it on the run
Heard it from a friend who
Heard it from a friend who
Heard it from another you been messin' around

Does the bee know it will die
Before the sting
Or does it’s act of anger
Cause a surprise reckoning?

It's supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious
If you say it loud enough you'll always sound precocious
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Um-dittle-ittl-um-d­ittle-I
Because I was afraid to speak when I was just a lad
Me father gave me nose a tweak, told me I was bad
But then one day I learned a word that saved me achin' nose
The biggest word you ever heard and this is how it goes
Oh, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious
If you say it loud enough you'll always sound precocious
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Um-dittle-ittl-um-d­ittle-I
He traveled all around the world and everywhere he went
He'd use his word and all would say there goes a clever gent
When dukes or Maharajas pass the time of day with me
I say me special word and then they ask me out to tea
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious
If you say it loud enough you'll always sound precocious
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Um-dittle-ittl-um-d­ittle-I
Um-dittle-ittl-um-dittle-I
You know you can say it backwards which is
Dociousaliexpisticfragicalirupus
But that's going a bit too far, don't you think?
Indubitably
So when the cat has got your tongue there's no need for dismay
Just summon up this word and then you've got a lot to say
But better use it carefully or it could change your life
For example
Yes?
One night, I said it to me girl and now me girl's me wife
Oh, and a lovely thing she is
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

You walked into the party like you were walking onto a yacht
Your hat strategically dipped below one eye
Your scarf it was apricot
You had one eye in the mirror, as you watched yourself gavotte
And all the girls dreamed that they'd be your partner
They'd be your partner and
You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You're so vain (you're so vain)
I bet you think this song is about you
Don't you don't you?
You had me several years ago when I was still quite naive
Well you said that we made such a pretty pair and that you would never leave
But you gave away the things you loved
And one of them was me
I had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee clouds in my coffee and
You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You're so vain (you're so vain)
I bet you think this song is about you
Don't you don't you don't you?
I had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee clouds in my coffee and
You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You're so vain (you're so vain)
I bet you think this song is about you
Don't you don't you?
Well I hear you went up to Saratoga
And your horse naturally won
Then you flew your lear jet up to Nova Scotia
To see the total eclipse of the sun
Well you're where you should be all the time
And when you're not, you're with some underworld spy
Or the wife of a close friend wife of a close friend and
You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You're so vain (so vain)
I bet you think this song is about you
Don't you don't you don't you?

They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swinging hot spot
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone?
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
They took all the trees and put 'em in a tree museum
And they charged the people a dollar and a half to see them
No, no, no
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone?
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
Hey, farmer, farmer, put away your DDT
I don't care about spots on my apples
Leave me the birds and the bees
Please!
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone?
They paved paradise to put up a parking lot
Listen, late last night, I heard the screen door sway
And a big yellow taxi took my girl away
Now, don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone?
They paved paradise to put up a parking lot
Hey, now, now, don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone?
Why not? They paved paradise to put up a parking lot
Hey, hey, hey, paved paradise to put up a parking lot
I don't wanna give it, why you wanna give it?
Why you wanna give it all away? Hey, hey, hey
Now you wanna give it, ah, she wanna give it
'Cause she's giving it all away, now, now
I don't wanna give it, why you wanna give it?
Why you wanna give it all away?
'Cause you're giving it all, giving it all away, yeah, yeah

Just a good old boys
Never meanin' no harm
Beats all you never saw
Been in trouble with the law since the day they was born
Straightening the curves, yeah
Flattenin' the hills
Someday the mountain might get 'em, but the law never will
Makin' their way the only way they know how
That's just a little bit more than the law will allow

Boy, the way Glenn Miller played
songs that made the hit parade
Guys like me we had it made
Those were the days
Didn't need no welfare state
ev'rybody pulled his weight
gee our old LaSalle ran great
Those were the days
And you knew who you were then
girls were girls and men were men
Mister we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again
People seemed to be content
fifty dollars paid the rent
freaks were in a circus tent
Those were the days
Take a little Sunday spin
go to watch the Dodgers win
Have yourself a dandy day
that cost you under a fin
Hair was short and skirts were long
Kate Smith really sold a song
I don't know just what went wrong
those were the days

Do you have the time to listen to me whine
About nothing and everything all at once?
I am one of those
Melodramatic fools
Neurotic to the bone
No doubt about it
Sometimes I give myself the creeps
Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me
It all keeps adding up
I think I'm cracking up
Am I just paranoid?
Or am I just ******?
I went to a shrink
To analyze my dreams
She says it's lack of *** that's bringing me down
I went to a *****
She said my life's a bore
So quit my whining 'cause it's bringing her down
Sometimes I give myself the creeps
Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me
It all keeps adding up
I think I'm cracking up
Am I just paranoid?
Grasping to control
So I better hold on
Sometimes I give myself the creeps
Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me
It all keeps adding up
I think I'm cracking up
Am I just paranoid?
Or am I just ******?

I cannot imagine a ten year old American
Today
Excited to watch a 1970s episode of
“The Price is Right”
But the average American
From 7 to old age
Found that show riveting in the 1970s
It’s only fault was it priced average items
Way too high
People had to guess the price of a jar of
Peanut butter (or whatever)
And the “manufacturer suggested retail”
Was always way higher than what it
Actually cost at the store
It’d be a trip to watch those shows now
And see how cheap things used to be
In the seventies
Even when they were pricing it as high
As they could

I’m helpless
Completely
Everyone has to take care of me
My mind is foggy
I cannot recall any memory
And then, I am suddenly aware
Lots of play
Lots of work
A decent amount of sunny days
Health and vitality
Kids and family
Health and vitality
A decent amount of sunny days
Lots of work
Lots of play
And then, I am suddenly aware
I cannot recall any memory
My mind is foggy
Everyone has to take care of me
Completely
I’m helpless

Well we're movin' on up
To the east side
To a deluxe apartment in the sky
Movin' on up
To the east side
We finally got a piece of the pie
Fish don't fry in the kitchen
Beans don't burn on the grill
Took a whole lotta tryin'
Just to get up that hill
Now we're up in the big leagues
Gettin' our turn at bat
As long as we live, it's you and me baby
There ain't nothin' wrong with that
Well we're movin' on up
To the east side
To a deluxe apartment in the sky
Movin' on up
To the east side
We finally got a piece of the pie

Black velveteen
Simple and clean
Oh what a bad machine
Black velveteen
Supple and plain
The 21st century dream
Ready to please
Free from disease
She's waiting on her knees
It's not a sin
Titanium skin
Just take her for a spin
Black velveteen
Simple and clean
Oh what a bad machine
Black velveteen
Supple and plain
The 21st century dream
Nice piece of kit
Electronic ****
Just sit down for a fit
Ready to trip
A guarantee hit
She's all you ever wished
Black velveteen don't give a **** she'll do dishes
Black velveteen knows all the night spots in France
Black velveteen's cat smells like strawberry kittens
Black velveteen always is ready to dance
She's ready to
Black velveteen
Simple and clean
Oh what a bad machine
Black velveteen
Supple and plain
The 21st century dream

Lift every voice and sing,
Till earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the list'ning skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won.

Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chast'ning rod,
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat,
Have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears has been watered.
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,
Out from the gloomy past,
Till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.

God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who hast brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who hast by Thy might,
Led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee,
Lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;
Shadowed beneath Thy hand,
May we forever stand,
True to our God,
True to our native land.

I don't mind you comin' here
And wastin' all my time
'Cause when you're standin' oh so near
I kinda lose my mind
It's not the perfume that you wear
It's not the ribbons in your hair
And I don't mind you comin' here
And wastin' all my time
I don't mind you hangin' out
And talkin' in your sleep
It doesn't matter where you've been
As long as it was deep
You always knew to wear it well and
You look so fancy I can tell
And I don't mind you hangin' out
And talkin' in your sleep
I guess you're just what I needed
I needed someone to feed
I guess you're just what I needed
I needed someone to bleed
I don't mind you comin' here
And wastin' all my time, time
'Cause when you're standin' oh so near
I kinda lose my mind
It's not the perfume that you wear
It's not the ribbons in your hair
And I don't mind you comin' here
And wastin' all my time
I guess you're just what I needed
I needed someone to feed
I guess you're just what I needed
I needed someone to bleed

I aim to connect you
Either with understanding my point of view
Or introducing you to something entirely new
I want to help you identify
With something you might not have recognized
I want you to know you don’t have to apologize
I want to share my insides
Splayed between the moon and tides
In the most comfortable yoga pose
Any guru imagined could be
Each poem is a snapshot of me
And as much as I give to it
I can’t control what you will see
Most likely it will be me
Not as beautiful as I wish I could be
But that’s always true of reality

When am I gonna be good enough to get the haters who come along and downvote every complimentary comment?
What’s a girl gotta do to attract a hater or two?

Never made it as a wise man
I couldn't cut it as a poor man stealing
Tired of livin' like a blind man
I'm sick of sight without a sense of feeling
And this is how you remind me

This is how you remind me of what I really am
This is how you remind me of what I really am

It's not like you to say sorry
I was waitin' on a different story
This time I'm mistaken
For handing you a heart worth breakin'
And I've been wrong, I've been down
Been to the bottom of every bottle
These five words in my head
Scream, "Are we havin' fun yet?

It's not like you didn't know that
I said, "I love you," and I swear I still do
And it must have been so bad
'Cause livin' with me must have **** near killed you

And this is how you remind me of what I really am
This is how you remind me of what I really am

It's not like you to say sorry
I was waitin' on a different story
This time I'm mistaken
For handing you a heart worth breakin'
And I've been wrong, I've been down
Been to the bottom of every bottle
These five words in my head
Scream, "Are we havin' fun yet?"

He is rain.  He is wet and bubbly and refreshing to my thirst
He knows who he is
When I talk about rain
He who is ocean died a few years ago
Unreliability and even dishonesty
That was how he who is ocean
Turned out to be
Another is earth
Fertile and full of life
Yet gritty with dirt
Ancient earth worshippers in his stock
I am still waiting to meet he who is rock

On a warm summer's evening
On a train bound for nowhere
I met up with a gambler
We were both too tired to sleep
So we took turns a-starin'
Out the window at the darkness
The boredom overtook us
And he began to speak

He said, "Son, I've made a life
Out of readin' people's faces
And knowin' what the cards were
By the way they held their eyes.
So if you don't mind my sayin'
I can see you're out of aces
For a taste of your whiskey
I'll give you some advice."

So I handed him my bottle
And he drank down my last swallow
Then he bummed a cigarette
And asked me for a light
And the night got deathly quiet
And his face lost all expression
Said, "If you're gonna play the game, boy,
You gotta learn to play it right.

You got to know when to hold 'em,
Know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away,
And know when to run.
You never count your money
When you're sittin' at the table.
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealing's done.

Every gambler knows
That the secret to survivin'
Is knowin' what to throw away
And knowin' what to keep.
'Cause every hand's a winner,
And every hand's a loser,
And the best that you can hope for
Is to die in your sleep."

And when he finished speakin'
He turned back toward the window
Crushed out his cigarette
And faded off to sleep
And somewhere in the darkness
The gambler he broke even
And in his final words
I found an ace that I could keep

I get up in the evening
And I ain't got nothing to say
I come home in the morning
I go to bed feeling the same way
I ain't nothing but tired
Man, I'm just tired and bored with myself
Hey there baby, I could use just a little help

You can't start a fire
You can't start a fire without a spark
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancing in the dark

Message keeps getting clearer
Radio's on and I'm moving 'round the place
I check my look in the mirror
I wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face
Man, I ain't getting nowhere
I'm just living in a dump like this
There's something happening somewhere
Baby, I just know that there is

You can't start a fire
You can't start a fire without a spark
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancing in the dark

You sit around getting older
There's a joke here somewhere and it's on me
I'll shake this world off my shoulders
Come on, baby, the laugh's on me

Stay on the streets of this town
And they'll be carving you up all right
They say you gotta stay hungry
Hey, baby, I'm just about starving tonight
I'm dying for some action
I'm sick of sitting 'round here trying to write this book
I need a love reaction
Come on now, baby, gimme just one look

You can't start a fire
Sitting 'round crying over a broken heart
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancing in the dark
You can't start a fire
Worrying about your little world falling apart
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancing in the dark

They say life is a highway
It is not
Life is a rotary
With only one exit
Lucky I live in Massachusetts
We got rotaries everywhere
Here
I’m hoping that makes me better prepared

The dragon is withered,
His bones are now crumbled;
His armour is shivered,
His splendour is humbled!
Though sword shall be rusted,
And throne and crown perish
With strength that men trusted
And wealth that they cherish,
Here grass is still growing,
And leaves are yet swinging,
The white water flowing,
And elves are yet singing
     Come! Tra-la-la-lally!
     Come back to the valley!

The stars are far brighter
Than gems without measure,
The moon is far whiter
Than silver in treasure:
The fire is more shining
On hearth in the gloaming
Than gold won by mining,
So why go a-roaming?
     O! Tra-la-la-lally
     Come back to the Valley.

O! Where are you going,
So late in returning?
The river is flowing,
The stars are all burning!
O! Whither so laden,
So sad and so dreary?
Here elf and elf-maiden
Now welcome the weary
     With Tra-la-la-lally
     Come back to the Valley,
          Tra-la-la-lally
          Fa-la-la-lally
               Fa-la!

Cryin' on the corner, waitin' in the rain
I swear I'll never, ever wait again
You gave me your word but words for you are lies
… Darlin' in my wildest dreams, I never thought I'd go
But it's time to let you know, oh
… I'm gonna harden my heart
I'm gonna swallow my tears
I'm gonna turn and leave you here
… All of my life I've been waitin' in the rain
I've been waiting for a feeling that never, ever came
It feels so close, but always disappears
… Darlin', in your wildest dreams, you never had a clue
But it's time you got the news
… I'm gonna harden my heart
I'm gonna swallow my tears
I'm gonna turn and leave you here
… Darlin' in my wildest dreams, I never thought I'd go
But it's time to let you know, oh
I'm gonna harden my heart
I'm gonna swallow my tears
I'm gonna turn and leave you here

There's a passage I got memorized. Ezekiel 25:17. "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy My brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay My vengeance upon you." Now... I been sayin' that **** for years. And if you ever heard it, that meant your ***. You'd be dead right now. I never gave much thought to what it meant. I just thought it was a cold-blooded thing to say to a ******* before I popped a cap in his ***. But I saw some **** this mornin' made me think twice. See, now I'm thinking: maybe it means you're the evil man. And I'm the righteous man. And Mr. 9mm here... he's the shepherd protecting my righteous *** in the valley of darkness. Or it could mean you're the righteous man and I'm the shepherd and it's the world that's evil and selfish. And I'd like that. But that **** ain't the truth. The truth is you're the weak. And I'm the tyranny of evil men. But I'm tryin', Ringo. I'm tryin' real hard to be the shepherd.

Been a whole lot easier since the ***** left town
Been a whole lot happier without that face around
Nobody upstairs gonna stomp and shout
Nobody out the back door gonna throw my laundry out
She holds the shotgun while you dote-se-doe
She want one man made of Hercules and Cyrano
Been a whole lot easier since the ***** is gone
Little miss, Little miss, Little miss can't be wrong

Little miss, Little miss, Little miss can't be wrong
Ain't nobody gonna bow no more when you sound your gong
Little miss, Little miss, Little miss can't be wrong
Whatcha go 'n' do to get into another one of these here rock 'n' roll songs?

Other people's thoughts they ain't your hand-me-downs
Would it be so bad to simply turn around?
You cook so well, all nice and French
You do your brain surgery too mama with yer monkey wrench

Little miss, Little miss, Little miss can't be wrong
Ain't nobody gonna bow no more when you sound your gong
Little miss, Little miss, Little miss can't be wrong
What'd ya go 'n' do to get into another one of these here rock 'n' roll songs?

I hope them cigarettes are gonna make you cough
Hope you hear this song and it ****** you off
I take that back I hope you're doing fine
And if I had a dollar I might give you ninety-nine.

Little miss, Little miss, Little miss can't be wrong
Ain't nobody gonna bow no more when you sound your gong
Little miss, Little miss, Little miss can't be wrong
What'd ya go 'n' do to get into another one of these here rock 'n' roll songs?

Church
How many souls are here only to be seen
Dressed up in their best
Social events
Where everybody agrees
Who among the crowd
Would dress humbly
In a plain frock
Like Jesus would be?
Those who came to see
And those who came to be seen

He's a cold-hearted snake
Look into his eyes
He's been tellin' lies
He's a lover boy at play
He don't play by the rules,
Girl, don't play the fool
You're the one givin' up the love
Anytime he needs it
But you turn your back, and then he's off and runnin' with the crowd
You're the one to sacrifice
Anything to please him
Do you really think he thinks about you when he's out?
He's a cold-hearted snake
Look into his eyes
He's been tellin' lies
He's a lover boy at play
He don't play by the rules
Girl, don't play the fool, no
It was only late last night
He was out there sneakin'
Then he called you up to check that you were waiting by the phone
All the world's a candy store
He's been trick or treatin'
When it comes to true love, girl, with him there's no one home

If I Were King Of The Forest not queen, not duke, not prince
My regal robes of the forest would be satin, not cotton, not chintz
I'd command each thing, be it fish or fowl, with a woof and a woof, and a royal
growl
As I'd click my heel all the trees would kneel and the mountains bow and the
bulls kowtow
And the sparrows would take wing, if I were king

lady stands before an open window
Staring so far away
She can almost feel the southern wind blow
Almost touching her restless day
She turns from her window to me
Sad smile her apology
Sad eyes reaching to the door
Daylight loses to another evening
And still she spares me the word, "Goodbye"
And sits alone beside me fighting her feelings
Struggles to speak, but in the end can only cry
Suddenly it's so hard to find
The sound of the words to speak her troubled mind
So I'm offering these to her as if to be kind
There's a train every day leaving either way
There's a world, you know
There's a way to go
And you'll soon be gone, that's just as well
This is my opening farewell
A child's drawings left there on the table
And a woman's silk lying on the floor
And I would keep them here if I were able
And lock her safe behind this open door
But suddenly it's so clear to me
That I'd asked her to see what she may never see
And now my kind words find their way back to me
There's a train every day leaving either way
There's a world, you know
You got a way's to go
And I'll soon believe, it's just as well
This is my opening farewell

“I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened?
But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn't. Because they were holding on to something."

FRODO: "What are we holding on to, Sam?"
SAM: "That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it's worth fighting for."

I want her to love frogs
And mud
I hope she never stresses over
Underwear lines
Or crams her feet into too small shoes
I hope she grows up
Breaking lots of rules

Whispers are most interesting
To patient ears

The numbers are sparse
Nobody here is
Searching accolades
Maybe the search is within
By putting our poems without
Sometimes you can’t see something right
Til you put it to another’s eyes
That must be what the search is for
In art and poetry
I’m putting all this out there
In a search for me

I want to like you
You seem decent enough
But stuck
You use *** as a mask
To hide everything else
While gaining cheap attention for yourself
Can’t say I really blame you
For acting how most young girls do
I should probably blame me more
For expecting different from you