A flower is bright because it is
The morning sky says good morning in blue and orange because it does
The afternoon light slants thru the window because it does
The half moon rises above the roof because it does
The moonlight stretches across the floor because it does
And music sings because it does

I open my mouth wide
And there are things that are long finished
They are taking up space
They are taking up today

But the flower is still bright
Bright as a sailing flag
And the morning sky says good morning
The afternoon light slants thru the window
The half moon rises above the roof
The moonlight stretches across the floor
And music sings because it does

The water on the river shimmers because it does
The coral in ocean blooms because it does
The bird in the sky turns circles because he does
The trees stand and breath because they do
The rain falls because she does
And music sings because it does

The great wall diminishes
I can walk over it
With my head in the clouds
And the door stays wide open
Because it does

It's a mystery
Of who painted those elephants
In Technicolour
Young and old

Let the mystery live on
Alive as it is now

Who did it?
Asked the young lady
Whose painting tattoos my skin
Shining a light over my dying mind

Till death do us part
Let the mystery live on

We converse with complete strangers
To say the things we don't
To our families

I'm drawn to the music
It's New Year's Eve
I turn around and there is a row of girls
Now it's a circle
Going round
And bigger again

The ******* her dad's shoulders
Is maybe 3
Looks right at me
And so does the girl
With dark skin and headscarf
As she joins the circle
And so does the old lady
Maybe 93
Where I can't see
Looks at me

It's New Year's Eve
There is a circle of girls

You'll see
I'll carry the day
I'll carry it a long way

Out into my openness
That would never go away



All but one room
With its clean carpet
There I wrote songs
Until it got dark

They were true in their aim
Tears came and came
Sisters in the front row
Cried for change



You'll see
I'll carry the day
I'll carry it a long way

Out into my openness
That would never go away



I must have lost a man by now
A young one at least
But here I am
Still protected

My eye is on the moon
Her staircase still
Extending down
Waiting for me and you



You'll see
I'll carry the day
I'll carry it a long way

Out into my openness
That would never go away



Why do you struggle?
Why are you sensitive?
Why are you crying?

Your voice suddenly powerful
Continues thru the flood
No hell below us
No heaven above


You'll see
I'll carry the day
I'll carry it a long way

Out into my openness
That would never go away

May 1, 2020

Beelines and Relics, that's what I'll make.
The Devil makes use of idle hands...

Two days ago, this corona virus thing, looked like a good relaxing world reprieve. A much needed slowing down.
But just like the construction builders who have worked throughout, that come in for coffee in the mornings, I wouldn't just relax and let it all slide.

I was on the phone to my mother the other month. "It's *******," I said. "When have they ever cared so much?"
And in Tesco the other day, a growing disbelief, a cynicism. "They can just mark in a car accident as a corona death," I overheard a guy saying to the clerk. "It's true," I chirped in.

Walking along the street today, masks everywhere. Signs up, billboards, ATM machines, corona virus this, corona virus that. Social distancing. NHS heroes.

I think now we are heading into a new form of control. Biological control. I was talking to Stef the other month, and he had the notion that in the future, people would need to have the appropriate vaccinations before they could get on a plane. Totally forseeable.

We, the human populace, the animal, biological component. Easily docile, easily, easily controlled.

The big guns may hit us yet.

I can go anywhere
When Nancy is walking with me
I can walk thru any door
And my eyes don’t look at the floor

When we are dancing
Perfect beelines in the sunlight
We travel far
We travel time



She came from the sea of songs
And all the letters, that were birds with feathers
I was astonished
At how long they had been going


She walked barefoot on the beach
Before it got dark
And it never did
All these things she tells me with her heart




I can go anywhere
When Nancy is walking with me
I can walk thru any door
And my eyes don’t look at the floor

When we are dancing
Perfect beelines in the sunlight
We travel far
We travel time






She took my hand and said let’s go
All the smoke and mirrors
All my doubt
It disappeared

I said Nancy
Don’t be away from me
I’m no good when you’re not around

I played my guitar
My body lifted off the ground
And all these things I said to her with my heart