you raked the ground
said it was 'round
before the days of growing maze
and breaking soil

you planted seed
and pulled the ****
and pruned it back, a lumber jack
you loved to toil

you used your head
and bought a shed
had every tool and cleaned the pool
you had the goods

you took the time
to mess with lime
and fertilized, they'd be surprised
this once was woods

now gone the man
and gone his plan
and gone the hands that held the tools
and now I'm hurt

they took your trees
which lined the street
where walk and broken curbside meet
now grass and dirt

I'd made a pact
one tree intact
the one that you planted somewhere back
in ninty five

there with the rest  
our birds can nest  
how we were blessed, my daddy best
on Burton Drive.

those roots go deep
and how, I weep
the lives we've lived, our memories
and stuff we keep

the tools I find
you left behind
I'll tend your garden in my mind
in restful sleep.

Walkin' along
I hear his voice and get a skip in my step
I have to watch it cause I'm getting a rep
for acting crazy when I'm walkin' along

I hear his song
and nothing else is makin' me tingle
could be the way he puts the gin in the jingle,
the **** 'n bull is always brimming with fizz
ain't no wonder 'bout the best that there is

though he's old
and it's said
being old is better off than dead
well we know
where he'll go
Who saved our souls and for our sins He bled

and when I'm blue
his voice can reach me in the worst places
bears the burden, then he ties up my laces
and lifts me like the sun in His song
staying with me while I'm walkin' along

half-asleep I'm hearing
the soft and soothing flow
of water's musical soundtrack
in sleepy afterglow

nothing matters,  nothing troubling
and that distant sound is nice
warm springs from hillside bubbling
through snow and thawing ice

blue morning came too early
into my chilly room
kiss the new day darling  
from your cozy warm cocoon

and still this brook
is babbling, a semiconscious stream
waters from the highest mount
cascading into dream

still in semi darkness
wishing wake would go away
a pang of something,  sadness
way too tired right now to pray

in my state, no words to utter
sensing he was ever near
wanted me to " simply listen, love
to living waters here"

moving water it's own music
crystal tones from babbling brook
if my ears could fish the woodlands
rushing rivers they would hook....

senses fully wakened wonder
what on earth  that sound?
for you know there's neither mountain
nor a stream for miles around.

No resin fountains flowing
nor a pond with motored fall
only snow and none was going
far too cold to melt at all.

So I sat up rather quickly
could a pipe have rot and burst?
and my stomach feeling sickly
at the thought, and how my thirst

perhaps a water vandal
running down the bathroom aisle
best go check that faulty handle
it's been going for a while.

rising up, my ears were scoping
leaning head toward window sill
softly stepping toward the place
where it was playing for me still

And what would I discover
in the fir tree just out yonder
but a flock of bubbling blackbirds
in the branches and I ponder...

blackbird
babble in light of day
teach this broken heart to learn to sway
come what may

you became the water and my worries washed away....

Her house was on the way
and from the porch she'd wave hello
she'd be sweeping every day
but now the dirt began to show

Then I saw it on the front page
that her family had no clue
and were offering a ransom
for the whereabouts of Sue

I wondered what had become of her?

they boarded up each window
and they nailed shut the door
of the house where Sue had lived though
just a coupl'a weeks before

And who could hardly blame me
for then wanting friendship's closure
better yet, if I could maybe
somehow aid in Sue's exposure

But whatever had become of her?

I made it my intention then
to help them in their need
for to find a missing loved one
surely is a worthy deed

One day at dusk I wandered
up her front walk, heart in tow
closed my eyes and deeply pondered
were I Sue, where would I go?

Whatever had become of her?

The brightly colored awnings there
had faded over time
and the swing which kept it's secrets
now was caked in soot and grime

though the front steps creaked apologies
the porch was less than kind
and it swallowed this unwelcome guest
and left a hole behind

Would I discover what had become of her?

although there was no body
dead beneath the porch that night
It was down inside that darkened mess
I thought I'd seen the light

and lying there upon my back
recovering my breath
I figured maybe Sue had had
a sweeping brush with death

What on Earth had become of her?

and grabbing for my cellphone
well I dialed 911
I just knew that Sue was resting now
where dialing is not done

and that she was in a 'better place'
than anyone could see
otherwise the swing above my face
would surely be dirt free

What in Heaven had become of her?

Well I broke it to the family
told them not to be depressed
said "she's made it to a better place"
but they were not impressed

I tried another angle,
told them Sue was very blessed
but they billed me for the porch repair
and sued me for the rest

So then, what else could have become of her?

I could not make my argument
but pled the guilty plea
I understood their pain and let
the burden fall on me

Still I'd wondered what became of her
and where she laid her last
and was I right in my conviction  
that the ghost of Susan passed?

and was I wrong to tell the family what I figured had become of her?

And then one day, It happened
Sue had surfaced in Toledo
she had gone to meet a relative
who's name was Cousin Vito.

And she'd fallen for the butcher there
who owned a nice estate
and it was there they made their fortune
putting meat on every plate

Sue!

The folks back home eare stunned
that ol' front porch sweeping Sue
whom the gentlemen had shunned  
would find love again, who knew?

So I was right then all along
that a 'better place' would do
a home with love and laughter
and a path to sweep with Rue

where her front porch welcomes everyone
with a swing which carries two
Toledo's bestest butcher
Who was swept away by Sue!

And that is what became of her!

Where he laid down his books
taller grass overlooks
yonder green, which the landscaper mows
and he smiled to himself,
"Here they'll stay, with my wealth
and if found on this ground,
well who knows?"

Like the soft lullabies calm the child who cries
though he can't know the words, what they mean
yet the music comes thorough
and the words call to you  
from the soil where the tall grass is green!

Where the tall grass stays green
and though none has 'er seen
any books to these days
guess they've all blown a ways
but the wealth of this man
can you all understand
is the land where the grass never greys!

yes, it's true
and indeed
this old man knew his seed  
and indeed
grew green grass that was tall
that's not all...

it was in
his own hand
that he wrote
"Golf is Grand"
and his song
to this day
sung by all.

Not entirely crazy though a little bit insane
outside in the daylight, her mind runs as clear as rain.

I took the test they gave me
to find a compatible fellow
Roses are red, Violets are blue
but my heart is screaming yellow.

Bottled up my beeswax
showered off the gloom
drew a breath of sunshine
pouring through her room.

Talking to a stranger
not the average Joe
wait until I meet him
the only way to know.

Yarrow is a color
I heard the Asian mutter
hold the petals 'neath your chin
to see if you like butter.

An over-ripe banana
brown speckled, getting soft
waitin' for his perfect match
the others he has scoffed.

Not easily misguided
I won't buy into hype
Perfect match confided
He's not the risky type.

Yellow is not fade proof
it washes out in time
hang your heart out here to dry
wind blows it off the line.

Whatever is the point here
of how she did you wrong
your history's no matter to me
it's always the same old song

No longer scared, just waiting
been down around the block
tasted and been tested
bid farewell to bio-clock.

Today I am feeling ready
tomorrow I'm bleeding blue
orange you glad I'm yellow
a bright and crazy hue?

I don't need the internet
or men to entertain
just read my lips
and bring some chips
I'll meet you at the train

My People perish
what to do
they see the boundaries
run right through

they take the shield
and throw it down
the thorny brush
my painful crown

The garden bed
they trample on
and now not fed
they linger on

and turn against
their only hope
the One to cleanse
their wounds like soap

The hand which wipes
away their tears
was stained with blood
two thousand years

before  you saw the
light of day
He died for you
and come what may

He calls to heart
which turns again
to filthy place
the darkest sin

Messiah knows
He leaves the rest
to find you in the
another mess

He draws you back
to quietness
restores your soul
to joyfulness

and washes clean
and sets you free
to live again
in harmony.

Zzz the day
Let's let this one get away
it's okay,
gave our best to yesterday
overtime
never was my cup of tea
yet they squeeze
press the very best of me
piling on the sugar now
promising the moon and now
complaining drains
life's pleasure out of me
gimmee Z.

Skim the soup
otherwise we'll get too fat
trim the sails
and I'm off to where you're at
winter winds
sting my chin and mess my hair
better stay
wrapped in cozy blankets here
icy patches forming
on the windows
we lay warming
under covers, unaware
nothing bothers, not a care
let the phone ring
when in doubt
never mind,
I'm calling out

Stay up late
watching oldies on TV
lick the plate
leave it on the floor for me
it's okay,
make another can of soup
take a bath
and then shower off the bloop
wasting water, wasting time
waste not want not
never mind
let the toilet run and find
everything will
wait for you
you'll see~
catch your z
wait for me.

one more day to go around
nothings lost
but somethings found
the buzzing fan's
a welcome sound
draw the blinds
cause no one's gonna call
after all.