I was going to write today
But this morning I felt like ****
My stomach was all knotted up
And the pounding in my head wouldn't quit.

I saw your face and it made me sick
So I said
"**** this"
And went back to bed.

you'll say "I'm tired,"
and
I'm tired too
not hardly as tired as you
and not nearly as blue

I'm putting you
in the ground where
the dead men
go and where
that really is
no one really knows
but I will whisper
                             I miss you
right next to your ear
even though I won't and
                             I hope I see you again
even though I don't and
                             I can't stand to see you like this
because you know that's true
and
you'll just stare at me
                             tired and blue

I will be your caged bird.
I will sing to you in sunshine.
You can put me in my place,
I won't take up much space,
and I'll only say words
you teach me, that's fine

I will be your caged bird.
I will sing to you in rain.
You can try and cover up my squawk
but you must still hear me talk
and I only try to heal all of your pain.

I will be your caged bird.
I will sing to you in laughter.
You can lay down newspapers
and I'll be your soothsayer,
but tell me now, with a word,
should I whistle like this,
or faster?

I will be your caged bird.
I will sing to you in silence.
You can treat me like a pantomime,
pretend that I'm still here
and doing just fine,
and still I won't come to you with violence.

I wanted so badly to touch you,
that night in my car,
I wanted so badly to touch you,
just my hand on your arm.

I wanted so badly to speak to you,
to say something cute,
I wanted so badly to speak to you,
but in awe of your beauty
my voice was stricken mute.
Dumbstruck-- I was struck dumb,
by the power of your presence,
my heart and lips grew numb.

I wanted so badly to hold you,
that night in my car,
to sing you a love song,
or hum a few bars.
But I didn't do that,
No, I must have been slacking
thats why I'm out here at midnight;
not begging, just asking:

If you're not busy tonight
with other boys,
If you will sit and listen;
I have retrained my voice.
It is not weak, no longer out of bounds,
and with it I wish to speak,
to make cohesive sounds.

I will write until
the last words jump to the page
or
my hands grow withered and weary from age.

I will write until
my thoughts turn sour
or
I take the final plunge off some bank's high tower.

I will write until
there's nothing left to find
or
I start leasing the attic of my mind.

I will write until
the Great Salvation comes, to save us from the rapture
or
If it doesn't, and we're left here, I'll keep writing long after.

I will write until
with words, the perfect image do I capture
or
If I can't, I will try until all the bones in my hand are fractured.

I will write until
I have conquered the Hunger
or
If I don't, please feel free to take a knife and slip me under.