Every year things stay the same
Things have to be that way
We've done it since forever
And that's how it's gonna stay

The tree goes in the corner
Then the tinsel and the lights
Leaving it the same has stopped
So many, many, fights

The music never changes
The films we watch don't change
It's just a family tradition
Though it may seem kind of strange

In the hallway hangs the mistletoe
It's pinned up in the same place
It's where over perfumed aunties
Kiss and slobber on your face

The wreath hung on the front door
Has been fixed over the years
But, nothing has been added
Gran bought it way back when at Sears

The food, now we're talking
I'm surprised we aren't obese
With the butter and the crisco
And all the other types of grease

The women hit the kitchen
While the men all go and drink
For once the feast is finished
It's the mens turn at the sink

The younger ones do clean up
And they help to do the dishes
For as Uncle Leo said if they don't
They'll be swimming with the fishes

There's the same old conversation
About Christmas' long past
There's no talk of politicians
That get shut down fast

There's fewer there each Christmas
Time will wait for not one man
As the elders make their exits
We try the best we can

We try hard to get the dinner
The way grandma used to make
We make sure to put the money
In the dried out Christmas cake

But, as people leave the circle
They take their tradition to the grave
And each year it just gets harder
Knowing which ones we should save

So, as you gather round this Christmas
Sitting in the same position
Don't change a thing...not one thing
And remember it's tradition

The tree still in the corner
The men awaiting dinner's call
And a group of perfumed aunties
Set to kiss you in the hall

Merry Christmas

It wasn't s'posed to happen
Not this way at least
But, as folks always tell ya
It's just the nature of the beast

Go to High school, finish college
Then get married, all to plan
Girl got pregnant, plan averted
Time to step up, be a man

Trouble comes when least expected
It sees you down, it has a feast
Trouble comes when least expected
It is the nature of the beast

A second child, a crap apartment
Robbing Peter to pay Paul
Nothing goes the way you planned it
Nothing's working out at all

Rent is due, the bills are mounting
You need to find a better way
Can you fix all that is broken
Or do you just run away

A pretty girl shows some attention
You do not mind it in the least
You then return her sweet affection
It is the nature of the beast

The kids grow up and time passes
Your secret buried deep within
But life at home is still disrupted
And then you do it all again

You harbor guilt for all your failures
It's not your fault, what's gone before
You blame your spouse, it's just too easy
But you can not leave,  walk out the door

The stress it builds just like a fire
Not just yours, hers too increased
She leaves to move on with another
It is the nature of the beast

I just want one last hurrah
Before I ring the bell
One more celebration
A story others tell

It doesn't need to be so grand
But it has to make folks smile
When someone maybe speaks of me
Once I've been gone a while

Maybe I could save a cat
Stuck up in someone's tree
But, I've a decent fear of heights
So, that's no good for me

I could stop a robbery
A hold up at the store
But, since Covid hit I stay at home
I don't go out much more

Something people will remember
But, most days I stay at home
I will not get my last hurrah
So, I'll just sit and write a poem

The words, they tell the story
But the music makes the song
The story disappears
When the volume is all wrong


If you want folks dancing
Sing it nice and loud
Take the hint and listen
Sing it for the crowd

But, if you want to tell...a story
That's when you make a choice
To turn the volume down a bit
Let the people hear your voice

The volume kills the story
But it also sells the song
You'll never have a hit my friend
If you get the mix all wrong

Anthems, scream them loudly
Make the walls fall to the ground
Make it like an earthquake
Just do it with some sound

Get the heartbeats racing
Get the people on the floor
You just won't have it happen
If the volume is at 4

If you want to say I love you
And make folks feel it in their heart
Remember words will express feeling
And lower volume plays a part

So, when you play your music
May you play it loud and strong
Remember turn it down sometimes
Because, the volume sells the song

Roll up Roll up
This will cure all your ills
Throw away the crutches
Dispose of your pills

Keep away from the tent boy
Keep back from the curtain
This is just what you need
To stop all the hurtin'

Roll up Roll up
Mind the glare of my teeth
Avoid my forked tongue
Hide from what's underneath

This elixir's a wonder
More a distraction I'd say
Takes your mind from your troubles
At least for the day

Drink a little, drink a lot
It doesn't matter much
You will soon discover
You can throw away your crutch

This potion will cure cancer
Grow new hair on your head
Help the flowers in the garden
Make you better off in bed

Roll up, Roll up
Buy a bottle maybe two
It's magic like no other
See what it can do

The idea is now planted
Is it fake or is it real?
Will it deliver on it's promise?
Is it really such a deal?

Listen to the barker
Listen to his spiel
Sounds like a politician
Now, how do you feel?

Don't look behind the curtain
You'll hate what you will find
Roll up, roll up and see
It may mess up your mind



Take a drink and you'll get bigger
Take a drink and you'll be small
Take a drink, I'll raise your taxes
To pay for my new mall

Roll up  now to the counter
Roll up here and see
That things with this much promise
Are never cheap and rarely free

It's not Christmas without Santa
Or without the jingle bells
But, in the darkness there's another
Taking children down to hell

Yin and Yang, a balance
There is darkness and there's light
Santa on the left side
And Krampus on the right

Parents watch your children
If they're on the naughty list
Because Krampus is out hunting
And these children are not missed

A myth, or dark reality
A monster from below
Did Johnny just go missing?
Or was he taken down below?

Jingle Bells, both have them
One is joyous, one is not
Santa lives where it is colder
Krampus lives where it is not

Bad children do not fear him
But soon enough, he'll find them out
With dark hair, claws and cloven hooves
They'll learn what he's about

He doesn't have a favorite
He'll take girls as well as boys
He doesn't mind the screaming
In fact, non one hears the noise

So, if a child disappears
And no one seems to care
You'll know he was a bad one
And that Krampus, well, was there

Halloween is here again
I used to love it so
But, now when it's shell out time
My face I do not show

I hide down in the basement
No light will people see
"No Candy Here" upon the door
There's nothing here from me

Ghosts and Ghouls and Spirits
Up my street they creep
But, I see them nightly
When I try to sleep

Four faces of four children
Out to trick or treat
Run down by a drunk driver
While trick or treating on my street

Seven children run down
Time....eight seventeen
Three were injured, four were killed
On that horrific Halloween

Each day for me is Halloween
Each day I hear them screaming
The worst part is that I'm awake
I don't hear them when I'm dreaming

Two who died, I knew them well
Dressed as cowboys on that night
Now they're gone, to ride the range
Their souls have taken flight

The street was closed for near two days
There were many questions asked
And in the end, nothing has changed
The answers hidden by a mask

The driver, he was plastered,
Didn't know what day it was
He's out now, paid his penance
I hope he feels a sense of loss

Myself, I cannot bear it
Every year I stay inside
I see those faces on new children
So, in my basement I will hide

No Candy Here, I'm sad to say
It hurts as much today
I still grieve for those poor children
In my own, respectful way

the wild west's still with us
it isn't gone at all
8 shot inside a high school
11 at the mall

Tombstone is no longer
Dodge City, it's now dust
But, the wild west's still with us
Believe me...in disgust

They no longer use revolvers
And have show downs in the streets
They've moved it to the school room
Where children hide beneath their seats

The press are there like vultures
The NRA cries foul
11 dead inside the mosque
But people wail and howl

They've the right to carry guns
You can't take that away
So, when you explain that to their folks
Just what do you say?

The wild west's still with us
It's a fact, that's true
It's not the same as it once was
This wild west is new

Shootings in the workplace
Shootings at the schools
Shooting in the churches
Are there any rules?

Each night the news is showing
A new shooting, it won't stop
The shooter dies a victim
And it's always death by cop

The wild west's still with us
It isn't gone at all
7 dead inside the church
11 at the mall

I need a gift for Grandad
Something that he'd like
Maybe just a book to read
He's too old to get a bike

A mystery? a bio?
A book of poetry?
It don't matter, he won't read it
But maybe, we'll just see

One with a nice title
One that makes you dig on in
Under fifty pages
A book that looks quite thin

A waste of money maybe?
But, it's for grandad not for me
A fine thing to buy others
A book of poetry

A house that needs a cleaning
Gardens that need tending
Groceries for the larder
And a fence that needs some mending

Grass is nearly one foot high
The dog, he needs a walk
He's gotten just so overweight
But, who am I to talk

Donations to deliver
Things that need be done
A tree to trim a little
But no time to have fun

It takes up all of my spare time
It almost makes me dizzy
I've been retired seven years
And I've never been so busy

From the east coast to the west
And all points in between
Exploring places unexplored
Places no one's been

Ship disasters and the railroads
The highways and the sea
The woodlands and the cities
A trip through history

Who will tell the stories?
Now the painter has passed on
Who will tell the stories?
Now the Troubador is gone

Painted ladies in the taverns
Sailors on the ships
Don Quixote on the shoreline
The words flow from his lips

Lost loves and the heartbreak
Snowfall and some wine
The circle that is  smaller
A navvie on the line

Who will tell the stories?
Now the painter has passed on
Who will tell the stories?
Now the Troubador is gone

Reading minds and pony men
A nation at its' start
A love story at sundown
Songs sung from the heart

Painting pictures in our heads
With no paint just words
Close your eyes and listen
His voice flying with the birds

Who will tell the stories?
Now the painter has passed on
Who will tell the stories?
Now the Troubador is gone

The world is now in mourning
For our Queen who has passed on
A son succeeds his mother
A mother who has gone

A King who stood in waiting
Learning lessons from the past
A Prince while on the sidelines
To whom the mantle now is passed

Another one is watching
For his turn the Prince will wait
The King is King through bloodlines
The Queen was Queen by fate

So, once the mourning's over
Let the church bells ring
The Queen has gone to heaven
And so...God Save The King

Life is more than a straight line
You're born, you live, you die
You can't avoid the ending
No matter how you try

The middle part, son...that is yours
How you live is up to you
Forget about the ending
Go do what you must do

Go.....Celebrate your crazy
Go streaking in the wood
Go...Celebrate your crazy
Around your neighborhood
Go...Celebrate your crazy
Kiss someone you don't know
Break the mold from normal
Go...let your crazy show

Go to work each morning
Don't think about the ride
Do your eight and hit the gate
Keep your feelings deep inside

Hit the house, and grab a beer
Walk the dog, then home
Boring stuff, no fun at all
So, Let your crazy show

Go.....Celebrate your crazy
Go streaking in the wood
Go...Celebrate your crazy
Around your neighborhood
Go...Celebrate your crazy
Kiss someone you don't know
Break the mold from normal
Go...let your crazy show

Life is just a journey
It's a one way ticket trip
So...change the way you live it
And...Let your crazy rip

I woke up, it was a 3 whiskey morning
I still felt the night before
Partied hard, till the sun was dawning
I woke up on the floor

A 3 whiskey morning is the one that you find
You need to shotgun 3 before you lose your mind
I woke up to a 3 whiskey morning
Trying hard to leave last night behind


I woke up, it was a 3 whiskey morning
Can't remember what I'd done
But you know when it's a 3 whiskey morning
Whatever happened must have been fun

I woke up it was a 3 whiskey morning
I'll tell you why it's 3 and not 4
Ran out of whiskey the first time it happened
Empty bottles, well son, they don't pour

A 3 whiskey morning is the one that you find
You need to shotgun 3 before you lose your mind
I woke up to a 3 whiskey morning
Trying hard to leave last night behind

Anyone can enter your church
No matter what their age
Mine, well, you have to be legal
At least in the section that doesn't serve food

Yours smells of incense and candle wax
The air smells of wood polish
Mine has stale beer and on humid days
Remnants of cigars and cigarettes from years ago

We have windows that can open
But, most times they are painted shut
Yours, beautiful colors of glass
Images from the bible, glorious

You have a choir singing the grace of God
My place of worship has live bands once a month
Karaoke on Fridays with wanna be singers
Making us pray to God for it to end

You have pictures of Saints on your windows
And tapestries on the walls
The closest we have is posters of sports teams
And The St. Pauli girl promoting beer

You will never find me at your church
But, we may find you in ours on occasion
We don't have sacramental wine like you
But, we do have a larger drink menu for all

People come to your church to wash away their sins
Then a few hail Mary's and a Lord's Prayer
With us, they come to drown their sorrows
And our hail Mary's have bacon, 2 for 1 on Sunday

Our sky pilot will listen like your pastor
He doesn't judge unless you get too drunk
But, that's on him, not you
Your pastor won't judge, but, still gives penance

I know where I am Sunday
I know where you are too
Your church is not always open
Mine's good from 10 till 2

Last night I heard a Nightingale
My wife, she heard it too
I yelled out the bedroom window
Florence. Is that you?

Apple pie and hunting ducks
rusty, worn out pick up trucks
tales of being out of luck
The story's in the song

Broken hearts and drinking beer
Friday nights, the weekend's here
Strong enough to shed a tear
The story's in the song

The story's in the song my friends
The story's in the song
If you can not hear the tale
I've told the story wrong
The story's in the song my friends
The story's in the song
Listen close and you will find
The story's in the song

Driving on a red dirt road
Carrying a heavy load
Living to a cowboy's code
The story's in the song

Backroad driving in the dark
Pick up games down at the park
Memories that leave a mark
The story's in the song

The story's in the song my friends
The story's in the song
If you can not hear the tale
I've told the story wrong
The story's in the song my friends
The story's in the song
Listen close and you will find
The story's in the song

Christmas is the loneliest time of year
Christmas is the loneliest time of year
A time when all the wrapping and bows
Can't hide the pain you try not to show
Christmas is the loneliest time of year

Christmas is the loneliest time of year
Christmas is the loneliest time of year
The kids are grown and all moved away
They've all grown and can't come to stay
Christmas is the loneliest time of year

You think of all the Christmas' past
Some are blurred the memories don't last
You try to keep the feeling inside your heart
But wishing this just won't make it so
The sky is grey with clouds full of snow
The dreariness is where loneliness gets it's start


Christmas is the loneliest time of year
Christmas is the loneliest time of year
TV specials are not the same
You don't know anybody by name
Christmas is the loneliest time of year

Christmas is the loneliest time of year
Christmas is the loneliest time of year
The mantle has some cards, maybe three
You're all alone, you don't need a tree
Christmas is the loneliest time of year

You think of all the Christmas' past
Some are blurred the memories don't last
You try to keep the feeling inside your heart
But wishing this just won't make it so
The sky is grey with clouds full of snow
The dreariness is where loneliness gets it's start

Twelve reindeer hooked up to the sleigh
One for each month through December
Santa said "That's a lot of reindeer names"
"For this guy to remember"

Santa said "I must lose one"
But he could not pick just who
So, he sat and made the choice
"Instead, I'll just drop two"

Ten reindeer hooked up to the sleigh
But two were always late
"I can't drop one, they both must go"
So, now the sleigh had eight

Eight reindeer hooked up to the sleigh
To Santa, this was right
Enough to pull the sleigh above
And fly into the night

But one was waiting in the wings
You all know how this goes
Whenever there's a real bad storm
He call on Rudolph and his nose

Now, Santa's team is ready
To take their Christmas flight
You'll know they've been when you hear
"Merry Christmas and Good Night"

Sitting in  my alleyway
I watch people every day
They see me in my cardboard box
I hear the things they say

It used to bother me, but now
I just let them look and pass
I used to beg for their spare change
But, now I do not ask

I think that as they pass on by
It's my situation that they see
Homeless, living in the cold
They're not seeing me

Some stop, and stare in silence
They don't have the words to say
they see just what they want
While others turn away

Some who pass, they cross the road
On to the other side
They'd rather think I don't exist
Although it's here that I reside

I think that as they pass on by
It's my situation that they see
Homeless, living in the cold
They're not seeing me

If you ask, I'll answer
I'm a man, I have a voice
Although I'm in this alley
I am here by my own choice

Alternatives are out there
But they are not for me
Remember, it's my situation
Not the man I am you see

It is a thing of magic
The first snow that we see
A sign of winter's coming
A sign of what will be

It never comes during the day
The first snow comes at night
It's blanket forms while we all sleep
In a coat of winter white

It may arrive and disappear
All in the same day
But, there's magic in that first, fresh snow
Although it may not stay

The first snow has us dreaming
That Christmas is now near
A feeling of remembrance
Of those we held so dear

The first snow has us feeling
What words will never say
With frosted patterns painted everywhere
Each different in their way

You'll wait for it's arrival
When the world is painted white
Watch the window into winter
Open wide beneath moon light

Sophisticated elegance
Pornographic decadence
Psychedelic trip
The past, present and future
Of what is the Sunset Strip

Hot spots undiscovered
History recovered
Dig in and take a dip
The past, present and future
Of what is the Sunset Strip

Darkness in the daytime
Sunlight cleans the slime
It's easier to grip
The past, present and future
Of what is the Sunset Strip

Tales of olden Hollywood
Hangers on and hoods
Changing what is hip
The past, present and future
Of what is the Sunset Strip

Sophisticated Decadence
Pornographic Elegance
The Chateau for a nip
The past, present and future
Of what is the Sunset Strip

I can't make a statue out of clay
I can't paint a painting like Monet
But the three words I do know how to say
I Love You...I Love You

I will swim the roughest, deepest sea
I will climb the highest, tallest tree
I'll do it just so you can plainly see
I Love You...I Love You

These three words are never hard to say to one you Love
If you truly feel it in your heart
If you say it and you mean it to the one you dearly love
You'll be one and will never ever part

I can write, but I can't write a book
I'm not a chef and I can barely cook
You know what I'm feeling by a single look
I Love You...I Love You

I will climb a mountain just for you
I'll hold my breath until my face turns blue
You know I will, and I know you will too
I Love You...I Love You

A man is always looking
To get some free advice
So go and find the fellow
Drinking whiskey over ice

Your friends will tell you one thing
While you're both knocking back a beer
But really, I mean really
Is this the stuff you need to hear

Find a whiskey drinker
He'll tell you how to buy a car
He'll share his whiskey wisdom
About what's a good cigar

A man who drinks good whiskey
Whether neat or over ice
Is the best one you can turn to
When you're looking for advice

He's made it and he knows it
He's not drinking at the pub
He's sitting in a wing back
Drinking whiskey at the club

So, if you're looking for assistance
And you need some good advice
Go get some whiskey wisdom
Sharing whiskey over ice

I used to have a little bird
Bernard was his name
Whenever I would call to him
Bernard always came

One day when I was cleaning
I left the window up a bit
Bernard up and flew away
The ungrateful little ****

If you want to **** yourself
There's lots of ways to go
You can do it really quick
Or you can do it slow

If you want to hang yourself
The knot will hold, you hope
The pressure is all on the knot
You best have a strong rope

You can always shoot yourself
Cut your wrists, but I confess
These ways aren't too pleasant
And they leave a nasty mess

Pills are not the best way
Too much time to save your life
The best way that I've ever found
Is to get yourself a wife

Suicide through marriage
I think that's the way to die
I mean, you're gonna pass on anyway
No matter how you try

So, suicide through marriage
Takes some time, but in the end
You'll end up dying anyway
And live your life with your best friend

Pumpkins carved and brightly lit
Children knocking at the door
Celebrate All Hallows Eve
With candy by the score

Somewhere on the moon you'll see
A shadow in the light
Celebrate All Hallows Eve
With spirits in the night

Don't let a black cat cross your path
It signifies bad luck
Celebrate All Hallows Eve
As the children run amuck

Avoid the haunted houses
Who knows what you may find
Celebrate All Hallows Eve
Keep the darkness far behind

Keep the werewolves howling
Let the ghosts and witches fly
Celebrate All Hallows Eve
And look for shadows in the sky

“The usual….perfessor”…asked the bartender.
“Not tonight Sam….celebrating….gonna hike it up a notch”….”Something from a bottle this time”.
“Maybe a PBR” he laughed, “…instead of the usual…draft PBR…bottle….”.
“On it’s way”….”why the upgrade”…”…it’s a whole twenty five cents more on the tab” laughed the bartender.

“Tonight, my dear sir, Tonight….was the opening of the school play…and I survived…barely….but, I survived..and I’m here to tell the tale”…”so….Tonight….we splurge!”.

“I forgot” said Ted, the barkeep. “I knew it was coming up….but, well…you are here…and not cowering in a corner somewhere, curled up in the fetal position…so, I am assuming that this year went better than last years version of “Death of a Salesman”.?”

“Better? it would not have been to tough to be better than that catastrophe…it was the best…THE BEST….out of all of the previous school plays…I couldn’t be more proud of how it turned out…..**** it..PBR and a chaser…it was that freaking good!”

“Really? In all of the years you’ve been teaching at the school you have never…NEVER come in here this happy about how the show went. I can’t believe it!”

“Don’t…It was crap. What I just did was acting. What they did, was crap. You know we did “Death of A Salesman”. Classic play. Great play. It’s been done by some of the best actors in the industry. Then, there was our version. It should have been called “Death of A Theater Arts Program”.

“Sorry to hear that Professor,  two more?”
“**** right, and keep them coming.”

“I was a working actor for years before I took this gig. I wasn’t great, but, I got by. These kids, I just don’t know, I just don’t get it.
The lights went up and they just lost it, it was more Monty Python than Arthur Miller. I mean, he must be spinning in his grave at some incredible speed right now. These kids made my brain hurt”

“It couldn’t have been that bad Professor, I mean, they did all right in rehearsal, didn’t they?”

“Sure, no family watching, no pressure at all…they did fine. But, once those lights went on and the curtains went up, it was every man for himself, total deer in the headlights on stage.  And through it all, I couldn’t do a **** thing except stand stage left thinking, “So, this is what the Captain of the Titanic felt like that fateful night”.

At this point in the conversation, the door opens and a man walks in. He hangs up his  overcoat and joins the men at the bar.

“****…what are you doing here?”

“You two friends?” asks the bartender

“Principal Paul Jackson” says the newcomer. “From…”

“Let me guess” said the bartender, “from the same school The Professor teaches at?”

“Two more…and one for him” says the teacher.

“Yes, that school. The Professor, I like that, I can get on board with that”.

“So, what brings you here? I mean, the play is over, the kids ******, and let me guess…oh, maybe you are here to dump on me, and give me my walking papers in private”

“******, I wouldn’t go that far Professor, I can call you that can’t I? It wasn’t great, but, I must say, after what we’ve had before, it was okay. I mean they tried, they were engaged, and nobody cried on stage like they did when we did Little Women”.

“Were you watching the same thing I was? They called ***** Loman “Wally”, eleven times….ELEVEN times!!! Engaged? they were so far off script, there was no way in the world we could get back. I mean, I tried, I really tried, and I thought we had it down. But, tonight, those lights went up and it was total deer in the headlights on stage, for each and every kid”.

The drinks arrive, and the bartender leaves the men alone.

“*****, Wally, what does it matter?” They winged it, and got through. I mean, it could have been worse, but, they forged ahead”.

“Forged ahead…Washington forged ahead  crossing the Potomac, these kids, wrote a whole new play on stage in real time. Nothing made sense. It was hard to watch. I was waiting for the audience to leave, which, I think…may have happened, had they been given a
chance with an intermission”.

“See…right there, nobody left. That is a plus. You have to admit that is a win right there…nobody left, and that sir is a winning program. They had to see where it went, what happened and Professor, what comes next?”

“You can’t be serious? or are you just being facetious? “, said the Professor.
“Oh, I am serious, deadly serious. You weren’t expected to put on an award winning play, just to entertain those who attended and most important, to be able to put on the play. Most times, it never sees the light of day, teachers quit the production, students quit, hell, I quit…twice. The goal was to put on a production and you did. It wasn’t great, hell, it wasn’t even good, but, it was entertaining in the way people drive slowly by a fire or a train wreck sort of way, and you did it.”

“Bartender, two more beers, make that three….one for you and more shots” yelled the Professor.

“Start picking next year’s show and no matter what happens…save these seats for the after party”.

I thought a bit today
That I've shed more tears
For those I don't know
These past two years

I cry for those who've battled
For those who lost their fight
For the workers who aided them
As they pass on day and night

I've cried at situations
When I'm safe behind my door
For those who are unable
To see the arrows on the floor

I cry because the future
Isn't coming soon enough
Solutions are just smoke rings
Disappearing with a puff

My eyes are all blurry
Red and always burning
I cry because from what I see
So many just aren't learning

My tear ducts keep releasing
Prayers for those now dead
Hope for those still living
Believing lies that they've been fed

Anger, I don't feel it
I haven't for two years
I only feel frightened
And I can only share my tears

I sat down in the basement
Safe and hidden from the storm
I wrapped up in my blanket
I was keeping safe and warm

It sounded like a freight train
As I listened to it blow
The rain was going sideways
But, at least there wasn't snow

The maple in my back yard
Was straining as it blew
Some branches snapped in pieces
I counted twenty two

I watched out the small window
As projectiles whistled by
It was noon but felt like midnight
From the darkness of the sky

I saw a picnic table
Fly from two houses up the street
Although it was quite scary
It was also kind of neat

We get these storms quite often
And when the wind is dead and gone
The best part is the garbage
Has all blown off my front lawn

I'm going up to look out
As the winds are dying down
To check on what's been blown here
From other parts of town

I'm looking from my kitchen
To see the damage the storm did
I've now got six umbrellas
Two swing sets and a kid

A wading pool, two lawn chairs
Some cushions and a slide
A pool cover all torn up
And a small boat on it's side

No leaves and that's a good thing
Because my sheds gone with the rake
So I can score one on the plus side
Though I now own a small lake

Shingles from the rooftops
Of nearby homes abound
I've fourteen in my fence now
And a hundred on the ground

Last storm, when it blew through
It wasn't quite a twister
My friend, he lost his tent trailer
But he gained a cat and sister

We've twenty three blue boxes
From storms we've had before
A dozen real nice planters
And a beat up old car door

I get another backyard grill
About every year or so
I just move the old one out some
And let the wind storm blow

The storms done finally
So, the clean up now can start
Tomorrow it'll be out front
Like a yard sale at Wal Mart

The damaged goods get recycled
The good stuff's rarely claimed
It's all covered by insurance
And the victims never named

This year will be different
We won't keep all things hid
We've got an extra swing set
And I'm not keeping the kid

Gram had an old piano
It sat in the front room
There was a scorch mark on the top
Made by a cigar from the past
It always sat there silent
I never ever saw it played
But, I heard of all the parties
And the music from gram
She told us kids "don't touch it"
"Just leave it all alone"
So, we left it like she told us
We did as we were told
Even though we'd heard the stories
Of the music and the parties
And the fun that used to be
We watched as Gram would sit
Close her eyes, and fade out
To the parties and the music
And the good times of the past
She'd leave us to our own devices
Of which one, was not the piano
She told us it had been there
Since about nineteen sixty four
And to me, that's a long time
Especially for a piano to not be played
It had to be out of tune by now
But, we'd neve know
She'd tell us of the parties
How the neighbors would drop by
How the music would be lively
Then, she'd fade off once again
Back to the parties and the past
There were mice living in the piano
At least if not now, there once were
You could see droppings in the corner
And the scratches by the pedals
But, we never saw the mice
I guess they knew the piano was out of bounds too
As we got older and time passed by
We wouldn't go to Grams place as much
And she never moved the piano
We would still hear the stories
Either on the phone or during the visits
Both were more infrequent as we all aged
We knew she'd fade off
Sometimes during our chats on the phone
Sometimes during our visits
Back to the past
To the parties and the music
Gram passed last year
While she was sitting in her chair
She went to the past
And stayed there while I was making tea
I ended up with the piano
I can't play, not that I ever would
None of the other could either
But, I was the oldest
Now, every so often, I'll fade out
Back to the stories of the parties
That I never went to
And I think about the music
That I never heard
But, I remember how she said it was
How it must have sounded
The fun they had
The fun she was reliving
Grams piano sits in my house now
In the hall never played
It sits with its memories
Announcing what we all had missed
It sits, silent, and it's me who shares the tales
To all who will listen when they visit
I got Grams piano and I didn't get the mice

If love surrounds us
Why is it that I just see
Snow to be shoveled?

Lord hear my prayer
The words I want to hear now
Under the B...2!

I remember that day like yesterday
Always will till I die
We were watching in the back field
Bobby took his final ride
The summer of love was over
The season sure had changed
Camelot and MLK were gone
The future looked quite strange

Thousands lined the tracks that day
Rich, poor, black, and white
Teachers, kids, policemen
Nuns, to see the sight
A train en route to Washington
A short 225 mile ride
We were there to watch in silence
For the man who lay inside

We all knew no one would wave back
But, we needed to say thanks
To the man inside that casket
As we stood on the track banks
There were people on their houses
In ditches, holding hands
To watch for a short moment
And say goodbye to the man

We'd never met him, but we knew
This man was one of us
He'd roll his sleeves up, and dig in
Do the work without a fuss
He was Catholic, we were Baptist
There were Jews and others too
Waving flags, and some saluting
Doing what we had to do

No cheering, only silence
Respect for the rider there inside
We stood as one together
Watching Bobby's final ride
I still go out and stand there
I can find the spot in light or dark
My old dog comes out with me
Watches me, and doesn't bark

Sometimes while I'm out watching
I see the shadows by the track
Of those out standing quiet
For a man not coming back
I've seen a thousand trains pass by
Sometimes, I wave and see
People in the windows
Sending back a wave to me

I remember back in sixty eight
The school was closed just for the day
So we could watch the train go by
And get our closure for the day
A nation was on fire
A powder keg waiting to explode
We stood and watched a train in silence
Carrying a nation's heavy load

New York up to D.C
Then to Arlington to lie
With his brother gone forever
Both were far too young to die
I still remember everything
But I keep it deep inside
As I stood and watched in silence
Bobby take his final ride

rural or urban
urban or rural
no matter who says it
it always sounds turrible

It came out all wrong
when joe biden tried it
tonight watching the news
our newscaster fried it

two little words
that everyone knows
say them together
your mouth sounds all froze

city or country
nor urban or rural
they both mean the same
But the second pair sounds turrible

If you've loved a cowboy
You know it can be tough
A cowboy's soul is different
They're made of sterner stuff

A cowboy loves forever
They are always moving on
But one thing bout a cowboy
That love is never gone

If you love a dreamer
You have to see in space
You know you've got a dreamer
You can see it in their face

A dreamer sees the future
They have to know what if
Thoughts always in motion
Flowing water, never stiff

Cowboys and Dreamers are one and the same
Loving one or the other can be a strange game
Cowboys look skyward to lasso the stars
Dreamers catch starlight and they put it in jars
Cowboys and Dreamers they have the same mind
Cowboys and Dreamers are the best loves you'll find

A cowboy's a loner
They believe what they see
They live by a code
Of what will be will be

A dreamer sees something
Where others ask what
They can not keep grounded
And they answer, why not?

Cowboys and Dreamers are one and the same
Loving one or the other can be a strange game
Cowboys look skyward to lasso the stars
Dreamers catch starlight and they put it in jars
Cowboys and Dreamers they have the same mind
Cowboys and Dreamers are the best loves you'll find

A cowboy who dreams
Is the one you should rope
They know that true love
Take work, not just hope

A dreamer can cowboy
They'll see the same stars as you
They'll lasso those stars
And they'll want the moon too

Cowboys and Dreamers are one and the same
Loving one or the other can be a strange game
Cowboys look skyward to lasso the stars
Dreamers catch starlight and they put it in jars
Cowboys and Dreamers they have the same mind
Cowboys and Dreamers are the best loves you'll find

You can love a cowboy
And a dreamer as well
If you're unsure of which
Ask your heart, it can tell

A cowboy has dreams
A dreamer inspires
They're one in the same
Burning two different fires

Cowboys and Dreamers are one and the same
Loving one or the other can be a strange game
Cowboys look skyward to lasso the stars
Dreamers catch starlight and they put it in jars
Cowboys and Dreamers they have the same mind
Cowboys and Dreamers are the best loves you'll find

Don't fence in a cowboy
He'll just move along
A dreamer must dream
To not would be wrong

Come along for the ride
No matter how hard it seems
Whether cowboy or dreamer
Hold on to those dreams

Cowboys and Dreamers are one and the same
Loving one or the other can be a strange game
Cowboys look skyward to lasso the stars
Dreamers catch starlight and they put it in jars
Cowboys and Dreamers they have the same mind
Cowboys and Dreamers are the best loves you'll find

Want to get a mortgage?
A loan to buy a car?
Tickets to a Aruba?
You need not go too far

You want to take a photo?
Check to see if it will snow?
Do a search and you will find
All you need to know

Oh...buddy, there's an app out there
For all you want to do
Even things you do not like
There's apps for those things too

You're in to online gaming?
You need groceries, maybe beer?
Don't worry, bud, it's out there
Thousands more show up each year

Lyrics for a song you like
You can find them in three notes
You want to lay a bet in Vegas
You need to buy some extra totes

Oh...buddy, there's an app out there
For all you want to do
Even things you do not like
There's apps for those things too

You want to find a certain app
There's an app that does that too
There's an app that knows just what you want
Before you know you do

If you want to write a novel
Who cares that you can't spell?
I'm sure that you have figured
There's an app for that as well

Oh...buddy, there's an app out there
For all you want to do
Even things you do not like
There's apps for those things too

So, now, in summation
Listen close to me
There's an app out in the ether
You can download it for free

If you want to buy your groceries
Get a girlfriend, buy a cat
You can always know that somewhere
That there's an app for that.

Of all the things I've said and done
I can't remember most
My mind just lets them disappear
Like a wave upon the coast

I remember faces
It's names I can not find
My heart holds on to so much more
Than is buried in my mind

My heart holds on
My heart holds on
Even things I think are gone
My heart keeps holding on

Some things that I recall
I'm not sure If I did
The stories kinda muddy
My mind has them well hid

Good times, and the bad ones
My heart it knows so well
My mind has gone and altered
The truth, I can not tell

My heart holds on
My heart holds on
Even things I think are gone
My heart keeps holding on

Sometimes I'll remember
My mind and heart agree
The times we were together
My heart, and you and me

If I get muddled,
And the memories don't fit
My heart might just open
My mind just a bit

My heart holds on
My heart holds on
Even things I think are gone
My heart keeps holding on

My heart remembers much more
Than my mind will ever do
It remembers every word
My love, I heard from you

My mind, it is a builder
It's built a strong and mystic wall
It only tell me what it wants
While my heart, it tells me all

My heart holds on
My heart holds on
Even things I think are gone
My heart keeps holding on

I see people driving
A normal, daily task
Even though they are alone
They're still wearing a mask

I find this confusing
A mask inside the car
But, who am I to judge them
It might not be their car

They follow all the road signs
Stop when the light is red
But, still they go on driving
With a mask there on their head

They drive with such precision
Their aim, to reach the store
Once there, they can not follow
Simple arrows on the floor

They head up every aisle
Against the shopping flow
The arrows show direction
How can these folks not know?

Their mask is also missing
It is hanging off their chin
And when the mask is *****
They can't throw it in the bin

They drive home with no problem
They have no mask this time
They do things without reason
They do them without rhyme

It's really, really simple
When you're shopping in a store
Wear your mask correctly
And follow arrows on the floor

Stay safe, keep your distance
Wash your hands, and follow rules
Kids make it look easy
While adults look like fools

Wear your mask inside the car
No one says you can't
But, please follow the arrows
So others do not rant.

It was early Christmas Eve Day
There was light snow on the ground
And lightly, if you listened
You could hear the slightest sound

It wasn't from a choir
Nor, a speaker on the street
But, a voice, tired and raspy
That would not admit defeat

Normally, at Christmas
The street would be alive
With last minute visits
Before Santa would arrive

Gianni held a party
For the vendors out this way
But, this year, there'd be nothing
There was no party today

Behind his place, The Bluesman
Had moved inside from the cold
He'd moved to the old Church basement
Where his stories were still told

He'd head outside and sing some
His "med-cine" in his jug
Behind the Church he'd set up,
On a wood chair, with a rug

The Bluesman sang to no one
His voice crisp, but not as strong
The elements were tough now
But, they would not take his song

The pastor, always present
Standing, watching by the door
He loved hearing the Bluesman
But, he loved the people more

Some Sundays, not all though
The Bluesman would begin
The service for the pastor
Then the choir joined in

He'd sneak off to the basement
Or outside, with his guitar
The Bluesman, felt his music
Was his lightning in the jar

This morning, though not Sunday
He was singing to the few
Lost souls, and some locals
Who had nothing else to do

The church doors were wide open
Every candle had been lit
It wasn't cold inside there,
But, maybe, just a little bit

He sang some Christmas carols
Some old blues, and Lennon too
He stopped and took a swallow
That was the choirs cue

They'd come in from the alley
The pastor had them in behind
The Bluesman, kept on singing
He was lost inside his mind

The church was filling up though
The voices carried on the wind
To those who always came here
And those who never sinned

There were masks of every colour
In every second row
The pastor kept folks distanced
For this little make shift show

The Bluesman sang a few more
Then he spoke unto the crowd
"Keep those you love inside your heart"
Though it wasn't very loud

He walked on past the pastor
By the choir, to the stair
And like Clement Moore's old Santa
In a blink, he wasn't there

Things this year were different
Not like parties in the past
Held up at old Gianni's
No one knew how long they'd last

There was no star to sing to
It was early in the day
But, we'd got our Christmas present
We'd got to hear the Bluesman play

Maybe next year, would be better
Back to normal, as before
But, who knows, just what will happen
What the muses have in store

So, take the Christmas message
"Keep those you love inside your heart"
God bless you all this Christmas
Another year is set to start

Santa got a letter
From a young boy in Duluth
Will there be a Christmas
Say, it's not the truth

We heard that you aren't coming
This virus is real bad
Folks say there'll be no Christmas
And Santa, I'm quite sad

A virus keeping me away
What does this child say
A Christmas without Santa?
No gifts on Christmas Day

A week went by and letters came
They all said the same thing
We heard there was no Christmas
No gifts to us you'll  bring

So Santa called a meeting
He had to find out for himself
He called everyone around him
Including his top elf

Folks, this is a problem
These children are upset
This virus that they speak of
Is it one that I could get?

Research, do a study
Find out what's going on
I'll not stay home this Christmas
On Christmas eve, I'm gone

So, the elves all started searching
They checked and made the calls
This virus was a bad one
They've cancelled Santa at the malls

A week went by and Santa
Called a meeting just to see
If the virus was a dangerous
Would Christmas cease to be?

Santa,  said his favorite elf
You'll need to have a mask
So, we've started on designing
It is our major task

Santa said, he'd wear one
If it was what he had to do
I need to keep the children safe
Just, make sure that it's not blue

Another week, more meetings
A mask had been  designed
It covered up his nose and mouth
And it ******* in behind

I can't wear that on Christmas Eve
It will not stay in place
The knots will loosen over time
It'll slide around my face

The letters kept on pouring in
The kids all had to know
Was Santa staying home this year?
Was Christmas a no-go?

Another meeting, one more mask
This looked like Santa's beard
I like it, but, there is no mouth
I think it looks quite weird

Think boys, do your magic
You make toys and are the best
A simple little face mask
Should not put you to the test

Another mask, another fail
Time was getting short
If they could not deliver soon
This Christmas, he'd abort

Another meeting came and went
So Santa said to write
A letter to all magic folk
Maybe they can set this right

Two weeks before the big day
There was a small knock at the door
A fairy stood before him
She looked no more than four

Santa, I can help you
You want a mask you can see through
You do not want to scare the kids
They have to see it's you

Exactly, that is my plan
But, can your mask do all these things
She said, my mask is magic
It's made of fairy wings

She went inside with Santa
She told him fairy wings were tough
They could do all that Santa wanted
And lots of other stuff

The problem with my plan though
Is if I give my wings away
Wherever I am at in time
That is where I'm bound to stay

A sacrifice like that is huge
Do you want to make that choice?
There's no Christmas without Santa
She said in her small voice

You'd have to stay up here with us
A winter fairy you will be
Although you will be wingless
You'll like it here you'll see

She blinked her eyes and wiped her tears
It's what I want to do
I'll give them up to make your mask
And I'll stay up here with you

Santa, too was crying
This was the gift that he would need
He called his elven council
And tasked them with their deed

It took about a week or so
They made the magic gift
Invisible and see through
It gave Santa's heart a lift

The loops to go around his ears
Were as thin as thin could be
The mask, well, it was perfect
And there was nothing you could see

Santa put the mask on
Took a breath, and all was fine
There will surely  be a Christmas
And I love this mask design

The fairy was now wingless
She followed Santa all around
But, you could she see was not happy
She could no longer leave the ground

Santa called another meeting
Now that the mask is done
I have another job boys
And it is an easy one

He told them what he wanted
Gave a time when it was due
I need it to be perfect
Do the magic that you do

The big day came and all was set
The sleigh was set to go
The reindeer were excited
There was fresh, white, Christmas snow

Tonight, I will endeavor
To make this Christmas night the best
I'll deliver all the gifts you made
And I have one here in my vest

He called the fairy forward
He said the joy that Christmas brings
Will go on with no stopping
Because you gave your wings

For you my dear I have a gift
It's made from Christmas snow
A little elven magic,
And at this, the box did glow

She took the box, and opened it
Tears were in her eyes
A perfect pair of fairy wings
Measured perfectly to size

Santa, these are lovely
But, my wings, I gave to you
No dear, these are special
These fairy wings are new

You do not need to stay here
You can fly again and go
I made these to say thank you
You saved Christmas don't you know

I know you know the answer
She stayed there, need you ask
That kids is the story
Of Santa Claus's magic mask

Hunter was happy
The rain was now done
He could go out in the yard
And have some real fun

Staying inside
when there was so much to do
He had to go hunting
For his alphabet zoo

Hunter like letters
And numbers and things
He also likes dreaming
and the joy that it brings

He pulled out his toy box
And he dragged it outside
I'm going to go hunting
He put his hat on with pride

An old hunting helmet
And one wellington boot
A runner, his jacket
And a toy gun to shoot

I'm off to go hunting
I'll will fill a whole zoo
Just call me for dinner
And with that...he was through

A boy's mind is special
They can imagine the world
Is a magical jungle
That to them is unfurled

A zoo from a toy box
All in order....you'll see
He would fill up his zoo
From A back to Z

First came an aardvark
Then a ******, all stuffed
Then a cheetah, a donkey
All cuddly and puffed

E made him think
Yep...an earwig or two
It fit with the letters
And it would go in his zoo

F was a frog,
Made of rubber and green
G ...a gorilla
With a smile, not mean

H was a horse
with a cowboy as well
The zoo, it was growing
And to him, that was swell

I....had him thinking
It's my zoo after all
So, if I can't get a letter
It won't matter at all

J was a jacks game
Not an animal too
But, the jacks looked like spiders
And this was Hunters zoo

K...that was easy
A Kangaroo with a pouch
L was a llama
With three legs and a slouch

M was a monkey
A whole barrel he had
He played with these some
He wasn't doing half bad

In all of an hour
He had collected a herd
Of stuffed toys, ***** and jacks
And he still had no bird

N was a nerf ball
Or a dinosaur egg
It could be what he wanted
He'd now found that fourth leg

The llama assembled
O was easy for him
An octopus floaty
That taught him to swim

P was a parrot
With feathers all red
Q...that's a tough one
He thought to himself in his head

R was a rhino
With no horn, it was broke
S was a snake
His dad bought as a joke

T was a tough one
A terra-dac-til said he
Not knowing the spelling
And that it started with P

U ...under water
so he found a stuffed fish
This was not all that easy
V...well tosh tish

I'll catch two of another
If I can't think of one
Hunting out in the yard
Is really quite fun

W...a walrus
with a moustache and tusks
Like the gorilla before
made of coconut husks

X...was a tough one
Another dinosaur came
Made from his xylophone
And this dino was tame

Y was a yak
He didn't know what it was
But, he just liked the name
So, a yak ....just because

Z was a zebra
blue and black with no white
He'd colored it in with a marker
When he got bored one night

He'd been out for a while
When he heard his mum yell
Time to come in
Bring your toy box as well

All through his dinner
He told of what he had caught
Of the alphabetic adventures
And the creatures he'd got

He watched tv for a while
Then it was bath time and bed
Where Hunter the hunter
Now had a full head

Now, he was dreaming
Of all he must do
This was Hunter the hunter
And his alphabet zoo

Norman Rockwell and Jim Unger
Artists from my past
I've met one but not the other
A memory that  will last

Who the hell is Bertrand Russell?
I asked over a drink
A man who changed the world forever
Changed the way we think

I remember the Norman Rockwell painting
It's burned deep  inside my mind
But, I have got a copy
It's the best one that you'll find

An artist unknown to others
But, a special one to me
My father drew old Russell
It's quite a piece to see

It's never been inside a book
And never will it be
But, Bertrand Russells' wrinkles
Mean a lot to me

Jim Unger and his Herman
Were a favorite of my brother
The artist and his humour
Were unlike any other

We met him at a signing
My brother brought his art
He showed it to Jim Unger
He broke my brother's heart

My brother was an artist
Just like my Dad as well
Their art, not for the public
Their art, was not to sell

Their art should be remembered
Their art should be displayed
Like a vintage guitar  sitting
It's better if it's played

So, now two artists pictures
Hidden for an age
Will be shown, for everybody
On a printed page

I give you first, my brother
Ian Turner was his name
No longer is he with us
But, this will show he came

The second one, my father
John Turner, is his name
His drawing days behind him
But, man did he have game

So, here for your enjoyment
Rockwell via Turner number one
Followed by Ungers' Herman
That was done by Turner's son

Put on your mask
Don't touch your face
Remember to leave
Six feet of space

Look at you now, you're doing the Covid Rag

Get all geared up
Go to the store
Can't find a thing
That you came for

Throw up your hands, you're doing the Covid Rag

You're doing the Covid Rag now
Doing the Covid Rag
Really, it's ****** sad now
We're doing the Covid Rag

Keep people safe
Don't touch too much
Remember you must
Wipe what you touch

Look at you now, you're doing the Covid Rag

Best stay at home
Do not go out
Eat what you want
Till you run out

Throw up your hands, you're doing the Covid Rag

You're doing the Covid Rag now
Doing the Covid Rag
Really, it's ****** sad now
We're doing the Covid Rag

So, Put on your mask
Don't touch your face
Remember to leave
Six feet of space

Look at you now, you're doing the Covid Rag

Throw up your hands, you're doing the Covid Rag
Stay safe at home, doing the Covid Rag
Doing the Covid Rag, Doing the Covid Rag

Virus Covidius, it is quite insidius
Much worse than Ty-phoid Mary
They say it arrived from China
But, I'm thinking North Regina
Virus Covidius, it's gonna get rid of us
It's so contagious they cancelled baseball
It's affecting the world from Brazil to Nepal
You can't go to church, but, your'e safe at the mall
This virus called covidius
da da da, da da da, da da da, da da da,

You can go buy, at the shops, if you try
If you're ready to get in line
Toilet paper is out, there is none about
But, you can still get wine
Oh virus covidius
If you shop for toilet tissue
You'll find none, and that's an issue
Oh virus covidius, it's quite insidius
It's much worse than the Spanish Flu
They say isolation, stay home alone
Watch your tv, play games on the phone
Just rearranging the things that you own
You can thank the **** covidius
Da Da Da, Da Da, Da,Da, Da Da, Da, Da Da
Always wear a mask and please keep your distance
Simple, but met with resistance
They are all saying don't touch your face
Stay six feet apart and give me my space
Da da da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da
If a second wave comes and hits us much harder
I'll have lots of food stored here in my larder
But then there is still the issue
Of Where do I find toilet tissue?
Da da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da
Oh virus covidius, it is quite insidius
It's changed the way that we live
They've cancelled all of the games that we play
From down in Montana, to old Mandalay
With out a vaccine, we just live for today
You can blame covidius
da da da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da
I said covidius, yes covidius
I said covidius yes covidius
Da da.

beer and whiskey
meat and potatoes
working class
no umbrella drinks
ingredients i can say
country and western
rock and roll
black and white
no shades of gray
closed on sunday
the big three
cigarettes and beer
ladies and escorts
afternoon baseball
no night games
pitchers hitting
players spitting
doctors smoking
***** magazines
45s and 33s
life delivered
eat at home
no school breakfasts
station wagons
Christmas cards
Community dinners
Fenced in yards
Chicken pox parties
Buying with cash
Bonfires while camping
Trophies to winners
Church Christmas Pageants
Father/ Son Dinners
Plain not unsalted
Till Death us do part
Meat and Potatoes
Whiskey and Beer

I'll be home for Christmas baby
Just you wait and see
There'll be an extra present
Underneath the tree
I'll be home for Christmas baby
We'll be together you and me
I tell you babe
that you can count on me

Remember all the good  times
We had, not long ago
We'd roast chestnuts in the fire
And make angels in the snow
I'll be home for Christmas baby
I just wanted you to know
It'll be a family Christmas
I just wanted you to know

I have to tell you baby
I've been clean for ninety days
I no longer see our future
Through a blurry, fuzzy haze
I have to say I love you
And that I have changed my ways
Just take me back
For one last chance I pray

I am sorry for the battles
I don't know why we fought
I've looked back and I've determined
That most were all my fault
Like the kid there in the kitchen
Red handed I was caught
Now I know that I have found
The redemption I have sought

I'll be home for Christmas baby
Just you wait and see
There'll be an extra present
Underneath the tree
I'll be home for Christmas baby
We'll be together you and me
I tell you babe
that you can count on me

You can call it love
That I know for sure
But, I think it is something else
Something so much more

It's a feeling like no other
You know it when it hits
It's when two things go together
When it's perfect, when it fits

You know the special feeling
It makes you feel quite whole
It's like you've been down to the crossroads
You made a deal and sold your soul

It may just come by once in life
I got lucky, it came twice
The first time, on a frozen pond
When my blades cut up the ice

It was peaceful, perfect, flowing
The ice and I were one
I'd be out there from sun up
Until the day was done

I remember people cheering
Those cheers forever will I hold
This was what I wanted
The feeling was pure gold

Time went by like normal
I had the feeling, but not quite
I found love, but, it was different
Even though it felt so right

Like I said, it's different
Because it doesn't love you too
It's not like loving someone
I can't explain it quite, can you?

Like I said, for some folks
It may come by them twice
I'm am blessed it happened
This time off the ice

You know when in a movie
The sunbeam comes down from the sky
And lights up something special
You know the scene, don't lie

The hockey was my vision
But there was something missing still
I loved the feel of freedom
But, there was something missing still

It Michigan it hit me
It caught me by surprise
I was looking at guitars one day
It hit me hard between the eyes

Worse than any check I'd felt
Worse than popping out a knee
An old Washburn guitar
Was hanging, taunting me

Of all the things upon the wall
All the guitars holding court
This Washburn said you want me
More than playing at your sport

I took it down and held it
Like the first woman that I'd had
It's curves gave me that feeling
It made me feel quite glad

This guitar's full of music
Full of songs to still be sung
Stories of others and my lifetime
Maybe this poem will be one

Most people get the feeling
In their lifetime once or twice
I got mine later with the Washburn
I still get it on the ice.

i looked out at the weather
the clouds were moving fast
Winter was incoming
The season would not last

With fences needing mending
And cattle still to ship
Winter would be early
I could feel it in my hip

Every morning I would  get up
Stagger down to get a brew
The pain was getting worse now
I'd lost a step or two

My daughter told me "Daddy"
"You need to see to that"
I'd grumble at her, smile
Then take my coffee and my hat

I'd go outside and wait some
Look out north for there I'd see
The last great wild pony
He's a stubborn one like me

I've chased him round these hill for years
Caught him once or twice
But, no one here could break him
No matter how we rolled the dice

He runs a herd of forty
I just let them go their way
I see them in the hills sometimes
And that's where I'll let them stay

There's other wild horses
Running round here that we chase
But, his...we let them venture
We let all forty have their space

Time has slowed me up some
It's got to him, I know as well
His is just from aging
Mine is where I fell

I was chasing wolves up on the ridge
They'd been running round the ranch
My horse slipped up and threw me
I landed sideways on a branch

I heard the pop and felt the pain
A searing burn through me
Beside me, lying helpless
My horse looked up at me

I did just what I had to
One swift shot between the eyes
Now, there I was out lying
A broken hip and ****** thighs

I'm not sure how when it happened
By rights I should have died
But, somehow, I can't tell you
That lone pony saved my hide

He saw me lying helpless
Knew the wolves were there as well
He took off once he saw me
Left his herd right where I fell

They walked in a tight circle
Kept me safe right where I lay
He took off to get assistance
His herd, knew they should stay

Like I said, I don't remember
How long I was lying in that space
But, I remember waking up and
I saw with him, a friendly face

They told me he wreaked havoc
Broke the fence down at my place
Kicked a fuss enough up
Then led my ranch hands on a chase

They chased him till they had him
This pony wild and free
He brought them to his herd of horse
He brought them out to come save me

He kicked the ground and whinnied
Looked at me, to say ok
The men loaded me up with them
I'd live to see another day

Fifteen years have passed since
I see him up there on the hills
While I sit outside just watching
The pain, it's helped some by my pills

A thousand wild horses
Well, for certain...forty one
Couldn't drag me to a doctor
Not while I can see the sun

He's a stubborn one that pony
Comes around I think to show
He ain't gonna go before me
And, I think he's right you know

My daughter keeps on trying
And I love to hear her try
But all the wild horses
Wouldn't even let me die

He's a part of me I guess now
Just like I'm of him of course
This stubborn limping cowboy
And that stubborn wild horse

psychic transportation
transcendental meditation
end of elvis generation
detrimental situation
******* secrets resignation
political assassination
free thought mindless constipation
church crime hidden deprivation
split with no consolidation
roe and wade argue creation
banks financial manipulation
country in need of sedation
the sixties dead, no more elation
no direction, no recreation
sitting, waiting, at the station
time for psychic transportation
and transcendental meditation
to the elvis generation
remove me from this situation
******* is just pure elation
still political assassination
and more need for quick sedation
back to psychic transportation
train is waiting at the station
transcendental meditation

ALL ABOARD