old friend, rest your head on his shoulder
now time has made us older
and smoothed the scars we left each other.

old friend, running through so many cities
nervous nerves alight your pretty
eyes-- but when you settle down,
you coolly wear that golden crown.

how strange has the world made you?
i can tell you, it's cleaved my skull in two
and made me weary

but it has not yet broken my spirit.

old friend, where is your lover?
from the pictures my eyes have flitted over
in times my mind found need of memory
to set my soul against the Enemy

old friend, always running up and down
fire escapes-- we all have something to escape
and now it's all a mess again
so bat your eyes and say, "de rien"

would you believe i've gotten better?
by bitten tongue and earnest effort?

i hope that you are well,
you, where my love was broken in
you, where my song was listening,
but wrong

the world will hear it.