Two instructors of philosophy
sat down and started talking
their conversation was in depth
and so, they ceased their walking
the topic that these men discussed
had each on different sides
and the gap that formed between them
was miles and miles wide

"I swear you haven't got a clue"
"You just don't want to hear"
"The world is round as round can be"
"It's shaped just like a sphere"

"You idiot, you do not know"
"Just look, the world is flat"
"The world has got four edges"
"And that my friend is that!"

"You can not mean that in this world"
"There's an edge that is the end"
"That is right dear sir"
"The land just does not bend"

"You can sit and tell me that"
"and still keep a straight face"
"What keeps people grounded"
"and stops them shooting into space"

"the fact, that land is flat my friend"
"is a plain as plain can be"
"have you ever seen a waterfall?"
"have you tried to bend a tree?"

"Dear sir, sit down and listen close"
"and look up at the sun"
"it has just two dimensions"
"it needs another one"

"The sun is flat as well dear sir,"
"It just hangs up in the sky"
"It has a front, the moon's the back"
"you can see it if you try"

"Have you seen this new invention"
he asked, opening his robe
"It's a 3d model of the earth"
"my friend, it's called a globe"

"the world is flat, it is not round"
"it has depth, and width, that's all"
"you see the corners of the earth"
"it's not shaped like a ball"

"If you hold a pebble, to your head"
"and drop it down"
"does it fly away in space?"
"no, it drops on to the ground"

"a mountain range....inflexible"
"Like your mind, my learned friend"
"If you travel off, at some point sir"
"you will surely hit the end"

"the only end needs hitting here"
"Is the one upon your neck"
"to knock some **** sense into you"
"you're a closed myopic wreck"

"water doesn't bend a bit"
"it would not make your point true"
"it doesn't have to bend dear sir"
"it's a concept that is new"

"next you will tell me"
"there's a force we can not see"
"that keeps us all here grounded"
"and pulls the apples from the tree"

"I'm not sure of that one sir"
"but as sure as there is sound"
"the sun revolves around us"
"and that makes the world round"

"do you ever see it moving"
"back to where it came"
"of course not, it's in motion"
"it's called an orbit, that's it's name"

"I'm not sure if we go round"
"of if we are sitting still"
"but one day we will find it out"
"I'm certain, that we will"

"Arguing this point with you"
"about a round world or one flat"
"will continue on in circles"
"That's where my world is at"

"we will not be in agreement"
"as to which of us is right"
"we will never see the moon sun change"
"if we both sit here all night"

"we will have to let the prophets"
"in the future prove us wrong"
"and now sir, it is supper"
"and we both should move along"

Raise a glass of freedom
Toast the changes coming
Listen to the future
It's roaring in, not humming

A voice lost to the ether
Told us 50 years ago
Raise a glass of freedom
Now, it is his time to go

The name, it doesn't matter
You know of the man I speak
His words forever with us
The man, was never weak

His name is one of legends
First his father, and his sis
But, he didn't hang upon it
His choices were all his

So, Raise A Glass of Freedom
Let it echo in the halls
Toast now to Peter Fonda
And grab life by the *****

You're the music,
I'm the song
Together
Is where we belong
It just feels right
The whole night long
You're the music
I'm the song

Roll the dice
Away we go
Where we travel
No one knows
You take the high road
I'll go low
Roll the dice
Away we go

We're gonna set the world on fire
From the heat of our desire
We're gonna set the world on fire
From the heat of our desire
You're the fuel and I'm the flame
No one can beat us at our game
You're the fuel and I'm the flame
Nothing's gonna be the same

We walk by
The trees will bend
That's the message
We will send
We're lovers second
First...best friends
When we walk by
The trees will bend

One and One
Make ONE...you'll see
The One and One
are you and me
Together we are ONE
not three
One and One
Make ONE...you'll see

We're gonna set the world on fire
From the heat of our desire
We're gonna set the world on fire
From the heat of our desire
You're the fuel and I'm the flame
No one can beat us at our game
You're the fuel and I'm the flame
Nothing's gonna be the same

Growing up
I always had
someone else around me
Mom and Dad
were always there
to advise and yes, to ground me

Time did pass
Things  did change
I went on my own way
The advice was there
But, not as much
There was no one there to say...

Don't do that
Use your head
Is that what you want to do
That is wrong
You'll die alone
and then...He sent me you

Teenage years
Mistakes were made
More than I can count
Always down
and looking up
I was thrown off of the mount

Advice...uh uh
Direction none
just me and me alone
confusion reigned
tempers flared
no one there to groan.....

Don't do that
Use your head
Is that what you want to do
That is wrong
You'll die alone
and then...He sent me you

lightning struck
a purpose loomed
i knew what i should do
boots pulled up
a life to share
that was when he sent me you

Don't do that
Use your head
Is that what you want to do
That is wrong
You'll die alone
and then...He sent me you

Without you
I am nothing
A sailboat with no breeze
With you
I am different
I am loved, and I'm at ease

He sent me you
To change my ways
He sent me you to love
He sent me you
To spend my days
He sent me you....my love

True
Heroes
Do Not
need
capes
or masks
or tights!!!

Children all learn
that sharing is caring
and that it's the right thing to do
as we grow older
we hate people staring
especially of something...we've two

i'd give you the stars
if i had them
i'd give you the moon
and the sun
i gave you my heart
when i owned nothing else
i shared it with you
i had one

possessions are gathered
and hoarded
by people who share only grief
i've seen people with nothing
share something each day
it's a smile, and hope and belief

i'd give you whatever you wanted
but, you'd never ask
for something that big
i'd give you a diamond
from the depths of the earth
and i don't care
how deep i should dig

i gave you my heart
when i had nothing else
i had one and i shared it with you
it's the best thing i've given
for the love that it's shared
just imagine
if i had had two!!!

every morning it's the same
i get on up to start the day
whether off to work
or off to play
every morning it's the same

waiting for the coffee
have a shower and a shave
while wife is waking up the kids
and none of them behave
waiting for the coffee

Roll tape....everything is perfect in this little world of mine
Breakfast ready when i wake and i'm off to work on time
kids all nice and pleasant at the table set for school
wife is dressed and makeups done, so every thing is cool
Roll tape...everything is perfect in this little world of mine

Dog is barking madly
kids are barking madly too
wife is trying to make lunch
there's so much here to do
Dog is barking madly

Fighting for the bathroom
there just isn't enough space
from the time the old alarm goes off
it's one harried, hectic race
Fighting for the bathroom

Roll tape....everything is perfect in this little world of mine
Breakfast ready when i wake and i'm off to work on time
kids all nice and pleasant at the table set for school
wife is dressed and makeups done, so every thing is cool
Roll tape...everything is perfect in this little world of mine

Some days i feel guilty
As I head off leaving home
Wife is running just behind
With the kids and one dead phone
Some days i feel guilty

There is no peace and quiet
in my world at home no more
And it's going to get louder
The wife's knocked up with number four
There is no peace and quiet

roll tape......

yesterday, i took a trip in time
i had a glass of daddy's favorite wine
i remembered how he'd give me some
smile at me, and say "don't tell mom"
yesterday i took a trip in time

yesterday i took a trip in time
i had an old song stuck inside my mind
i remembered daddy'd sing that song
even though he got it wrong
yesterday i took a trip in time

i miss him every single day
i know it might sound cliche
how i wish that he were here
just to raise a glass of beer
i miss him every single day

yesterday i took a trip in time
funny as i age, the more that I'm
thinking of the things he'd do
and doing the same things with you
yesterday i took a trip in time

yesterday i took a trip in time
it didn't cost a thing, not a thin dime
it's a trip I'm taking more and more
I wish he'd walk on through the door
yesterday i took a trip in time

i hope that one day, my kids travel too
back in time to remember me and you
how'd they'd share a memory
of something said by you or me
i hope that one day, my kids travel too

I've found some folks on facebook
I think i'd really like
and then there are those certain ones
I tell....go on....get on yer bike

I've met many folks while writing
And most of them are nice
The others just are spiteful folks
To whom being nasty is a vice

I've travelled round the world with friends
Most I've never met
But, I'm never saying never
My life's not over yet

There are some I met through Titan
Our dog, and our best friend
There are others who just found us
And I will stick with till the end

Then, there are the ones who hate
They hide there in the dark
Tearing little pieces off of you
And they do it for a lark

They hide in anonymity
Criticising all you do
I've run across a few of them
I blocked them all...did you?

But as they say a bad penny
Will always be around
And no matter where you go on here
That bad penny can be found

I'm staying on because I won't
quit and let them beat me
In fact I'm sticking 'round to say
You ******* all can eat me

This is a public forum
And I think that most are good
But, for the rest of you...get off the cross
We need the ****** wood!

There's blue birds on my windowsill
And there's no rainbow in the sky
No brick road painted yellow
But, there's still blue birds here that fly

There's challenges at every turn
Not involving men of tin
You still need heart on this side
Unless you lead a life of sin

The road is not a brick one
Not where I live, I must say
But to live life still takes courage
Though there's no lion in my way

Life does not come easy
Not on this side of the rainbow sky
You have to use your brain o'er here
And keep asking why, why, why?

There's is life over the rainbow
But there is life on this side too
They say the grass is always greener
But, remember...we've also birds of blue.

The big time's coming
Can't you hear it in the air
You know the big time's coming
It's close, I'm just not quite sure where

The road to the top of the mountain
Takes time and that's a fact
But, we're heading up the mountain
We're heading forward and not back

Little clubs and back road bars
Pick up trucks and rented cars
Watered drinks and cheap cigars
That's the road we're taking

Playing hard for not much money
Looking back it seems so funny
Touring ***** without my honey
Watch us close...we'll soon be there

The big time's in our future
We'll make it soon enough
We don't need The Voice or Idol
We'll make it cause we're tough

We play our tunes and covers
If we don't know it, we will learn
We're on the road to hit the big time
We'll be on top when it's our turn



Little clubs and back road bars
Pick up trucks and rented cars
Watered drinks and cheap cigars
That's the road we're taking

Playing hard for not much money
Looking back it seems so funny
Touring ***** without my honey
Watch us close...we'll soon be there

Beware, if you should venture out
There's spirits in the air
Be on the watch for all about
when walking, if you dare

The wind is up, the moon is full
There are witches in the air
Be on the watch for all about
when walking, if you dare

Ghosts and ghouls are waiting
For the midnight bell to toll
They lie in wait there in the dark
For those who dare to take a stroll

The moon is bright, it lights the sky
You can hear the haunted howls
The coven forms, there in the dark
Hidden by their capes and cowls

Listen close, the wind will speak
You can hear it if you try
The voices of those long gone
Or is it just a ghostly sigh

The veil is lifted on this night
The darkness hides the evil there
You hear it now "rosebud" it says
Do you go out, do you dare

A simple word, between the worlds
Houdini, maybe so
I dare you to go out tonight
But, be wary if you go

For, ghosts and ghouls are waiting
For you to take that stroll
Do you dare to face the moonlight?
Do you dare to bet your soul?

one religion, two religions
three religions, four
i;ve got lots and lots of choices
and more are coming to my door
follow us, believe in me
our church, knows the true way
I've got last supper steak knives
what else is there to say?

tv preachers in their pulpits
selling religion like a game
like the Catholic church indulgences
What they sell is still the same
Buy my onyx desk set
it will put you on the path
i sit at home and watch them
and God, I have to laugh

Wars are fought about who's God
Is better in the end
But, it's the same God and same son
that God chose for to send
Holy Ghosts and miracles
Generated for the flock
I bet dear old Pope Peter
Is just spinning 'neath his rock

Put a thousand prophets
in a room with the same book
and you'll get a thousand versions
of where to go and where to look
Religion is a business
Don't sell yourself to me
I believe in God Almighty
In the sky, or in a tree

I'll do penance if I'm told to
not because I didn't buy
the Bob Ross painted version
of the angels in the sky
I tried to follow Buddha
Because, like me, he's kind of fat
But, I couldn't cross my legs that way
It hurt me when I sat

Jehovah's, get me riled
Coming round right to my door
Giving me their magazine
Not saying what it's for
There are so many religions
None is right and none is wrong
But, truth be told I like the ones
That have a guy who hits a gong

Atheists, are different too
They don't believe in God at all
So, who's name do they yell out
When they get walloped in the *****?
I'd like to see religion
get monitored and have rules
like, how each group can advertise
and have a list of union rules

Don't tell me one is better
Be it Budhist or another
Deep down, regardless of belief
you are my sister, or my brother
Finally, the mormon church
Has elders, they're young men
For this I'd just love God to say
I'm coming down....to start again

I woke up tasting yesterday
I stumbled out of bed to make my way
On up the street to find a place
To erase the cobwebs from my face
And finish what I started last night

I passed an old man shining shoes
He looked at me, staring clear on through
He didn't have to say a word
He shook his head and I turned, stumbled onward
To finish what I started last night

Another day and nothing changes
The only thing I find strange is
Reactions that I get thought out my day
I hide among the doors and alleys
My day is full of hills and valleys
I listen to the crap that people say

I cannot function in the real world
Too much time there, I get unfurled
It's nothing that I can explain to you
The only thing I feel I need to do
Is finish what I started last night

I don't know how the money comes
But at days end there's always some
From normal folk who aren't ****** down in the silt
They give me cash to help relieve their guilt
And I finish what I started last night

I know tomorrow I'll wake up tasting yesterday
I'll stumble past the shine man on my way
To find a place to clear my mind
and dream the dreams I left behind
And once more finish off last night

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

I'm looking for an answer
To a question I'm not sure of
As I'm trying to remember
What I'm trying to forget

I've drunk away a liquor store
and smoked half of my brain away
trying to find the trigger to
the question I once had

I'm in a motel room in reno
counting ceiling tiles in the dark
I know how many holes there are
I listen to the dogs that bark ...inside my head

I just wish I had the answer
to the question I'm not sure of
As I lie here trying to remember
What it is I think I must forget

It could have been a woman
I don't know my mind won't let me in
I don't even know what city
that it happened in....I just drink away my day

There's an answer out there somewhere
to my long unanswered question and
I'm pretty sure I'll find it in a bottle
or something that I'm smoking along the way

But now I'm here in Reno
counting ceiling tiles and the holes
that fill them in and hide the stains
and hear the sounds of a dogs bark inside my head....

Life can be tough sometimes
It can really mess your head
I remember some of Dad's advice
This is what he said

Take it like a man, son
You've got to take it like a man
No matter what life throws your way
You've got to do the best you can
Take it like a man, son
You've got to show 'em who you are
If all you do is turn and run
You'll never get that far

I got fired from my job
But, I know it's not my fault
I just listened to my Daddy's words
And the lesson that he taught

Instead of feeling sorry
I shot back at him instead
I told him of my Dad's advice
And this is what I said...


Take it like a man, son
You've got to take it like a man
No matter what life throws your way
You've got to do the best you can
Take it like a man, son
You've got to show 'em who you are
If all you do is turn and run
You'll never get that far



Never sit and cry 'bout things
You've got to do the best you can
Never show a weakness
You've got to take it like a man

I broke up with my girl.....again
For the fourteenth time this year
But, this time I'm not crawling back
This time she will hear....

Take it like a man, son
You've got to take it like a man
No matter what life throws your way
You've got to do the best you can
Take it like a man, son
You've got to show 'em who you are
If all you do is turn and run
You'll never get that far

You'll never be a leader
If you turn and hide away
Nobody will follow you
Unless they hear you say...

Take it like a man, son
You've got to take it like a man
No matter what life throws your way
You've got to do the best you can
Take it like a man, son
You've got to show 'em who you are
If all you do is turn and run
You'll never get that far

I'm isolated, waiting
at home with my wife
adapting like others
to our normal new life

a few days, no problem
a week, it's a breeze
but, nobody said
there would be days like these

at first it was easy
cleaning, watching tv
I dusted, did windows
even cut back a tree

i worked in the garage
got my records in line
i found about ten
i didn't know that were mine

i've written a little
tried to keep myself sane
watching tv is trouble
watching people in pain

my hands are all ******
they are rough, dry and raw
they are the worst looking hands
that you ever saw

lotions and ointments
I rub them all in
my joints all are aching
like that man made of tin

we cannot have fires
open fires are banned
we can go on outside
we can't move, we can stand

my wife's in the kitchen
busy counting the rice
she's doing it right
she's counting it twice

yesterday morning
she worked right till night
she sorted the pasta
and she did it by height

the walls have been painted
right to the door lip
she did it real nice
she used a q-tip

i've sorted my hardware
all my nuts, screws and nails
i've got some in jars
i've put others in pails

the floors are all washed
the cupboards wiped too
we're adapting quite well
i hope you are too

when the weather gets nice
i'll go cut my grass
i'll use a ruler and scissors
to help make time pass

this is the new normal
it won't change for a while
so, stay at home please
read this, and then smile

It seems like only yesterday
That she left me all alone
The doctor said it won't be long
It was then I dropped the phone

I rushed to be there with her
She said "just hold my hand,don't cry"
"I promise I won't leave you"
"look for me in the sky"

Look for me me  in the skies
For that is where i'll be
I never will forget you
You will feel me in the breeze

Look for me  in the skies

The stars will burn much brighter
The wind will muss your hair
Look for me  in the skies
For, darling I'll be there

I felt her grip grow weaker
as she slowly slipped away
i whispered that I loved her
and in my head I heard her say

Look for me me  in the skies
For that is where i'll be
I never will forget you
You will feel me in the breeze

Look for me  in the skies

The stars will burn much brighter
The wind will muss your hair
Look for me  in the skies
For, darling I'll be there

she's gone now, but still with me
i can hear her in the trees
she is watching me from up above
she is living in the breeze

at night the stars are brighter
i look up each night and pray
i still can smell her perfume
and I still can hear her say

Look for me me  in the skies
For that is where i'll be
I never will forget you
You will feel me in the breeze

Look for me  in the skies
For that is where I'll be
I never will forget you
as you remember me.

“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 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

Gianni watched the clouds move in
Closed his window for the rain
It was spring and that meant
That it was gonna storm again

He looked out at the street outside
He saw a man turn and walk away
"Better get himself inside"
"Looks like a nasty one today"

The man looked at Gianni's
But his mind was down the road
His hair was wet from the rain
He carried a large load

A block on up from Gianni's
Past the bookstore "Broken Spines'
Was an old white clapboard building
That had sure seen better times

In true New England style
It had shutters painted blue
It had lived a hundred lifetimes
It was nothing short of new

The man walked to the building
Looked around and walked inside
It was dark, and it was scary
A place for lost souls to reside

Gianni never watched him
He had already killed the light
Except the one saved for the Bluesman
To help him safely through the night

Out back of old Gianni's
The Bluesman hunkered down
His box was lifted on four skids
In rain like this he'd surely drown

He looked out at Gianni's
Smiled at the light left on
He knew the street was vacant
Everybody was now gone

The man stood in the building
Looked around for what he sought
He couldn't find the thing he searched for
So his visit was for nought

The building creaked and whispered
Echoed voices from the past
From workers and from sailors
Who's lives were spent with sail and mast

Once it was a tavern
Then a house of ill repute
For years it was a hostel
For the lost and destitute

I guess it's come full circle
A place for homeless and for *****
A place to find redemption
A place for that and more

The man took off his jacket
Ran his hand through his wet hair
Said a silent prayer to Jesus
Even though no one was there

He set to work the next morning
Cleaning up and setting straight
He went on out for say, an hour
To get some wood to fix the gate

Trucks came down the alleyway
Woke the Bluesman as they passed
They were all on their own mission
The trucks drove by so fast

The man stood at the entrance
Gave directions to the men
It was happening so quickly
It was nearly ten to ten

Boxes and some benches
Tables, chairs and things
Were now scattered in the building
On up from where the bluesman sings

The man walked up the alley
The bluesman was in form
He was singing to a ferral cat
In the sunshine getting warm

The man looked at the bluesman
Stopped and listened with a smile
Then he ventured over to him
"God, it's been a while"

"How you doing Father?"
"I see you've made your way to town"
"I"ve got some medcin in my thermos"
"Why don't you rest and sit yourself down?"

"You know I've missed you Bluesman"
""The way you sing just fills my soul"
"I've been empty since you left us"
"Your voice, helps make me whole"

The Bluesman and The Father
Tied together through the word
A pair just so unlikely
You'd not believe it if you heard

"I've moved in to the building"
"Up the block, I'm sure you know"
"I know it" said the Bluesman
"I go inside to miss the snow"

"Well, we're opening on Sunday"
"As a respite from the street"
"We're looking for some people"
"To come on out and meet"

"I'll have coffee, and some biscuits"
"I'll introduce myself and talk"
"I need to ask a favour"
The the two went for a walk

"I need you there on Sunday"
"You know it is your choice"
"I'm not going to preach religion"
"I only want you for your voice"

"I know you believe what you do"
"You follow what you know"
"I'm not asking as a preacher"
"Just a friend, from long ago"

He pulled the Bluesman to him
Higged him close then walked away
Then he went back to the building
Lots to do in there today

The Bluesman walked a little
Tooked  his flask off of his hip
Then he pulle the stopper from it
And then he took a good long sip

Twice more he stopped on his way back
His past was now just up the street
He grabbed his old guitar and then
The Bluesman took a seat

He didn't know just what to do
His past was now right here
The Father was his mentor
Someone he held so dear

Sometime back, and somewhere else
The Bluesman broke a trust
He'd broke a promise to him
He turned his golden word to rust

It was two days until Sunday
The Bluesman just sat and played
And in the building on the corner
The man, worked hard and prayed

There was a sign in front, fresh painted
Saying "Welcome, one and all"
"Services this Sunday"
"In our large, cold, meeting hall"

Sunday came so quickly
A few folks slowly wandered in
Not so much to see the preacher
But, to see the house of sin"

The preacher walked among them
Shaking hands and drinking tea
It was still a work in progress
That was surely plain to see

In the middle of the morning
There was twenty folks or so around
The silence of the morn was broken
By an old familiar sound

In the alley on an old crate
Sat The Bluesman singing songs
Hymns, of all that's holy
How to right all of man's wrongs

In the doorway stood the preacher
As the crowd passed by his side
He listened to The Bluesman
And he opened the doors wide

"I guess we'll meet out here today"
"We have a show for all to hear"
"The gospel from The Bluesman"
"A voice I've always held so dear"

Now, on Sunday's if you're lucky
If all the stars give you a sign
You might come and find the Bluesman
Singing to God, he starts at nine

Time moves on as I do too
I felt I had to come to you
I only came to bid adieu
Hello, I must be going

I came here once so I could say
I am here but can not stay
I said goodbye, in my own way
Hello, I must be going

I am here as you can see
I have to say, it can not be
I have to leave, it's time to flee
Hello, I must be going

I'd love to stay and join the fun
Stay here all night, at least till one
But I'm here to say, I have to run
Hello, I must be going

There's nothing you can do or say
Not one thing will make me stay
I'm telling you, I'm on my way
Hello, I must be going

Now, I leave and shan't return
There's lot's of things you need to learn
I'll exit with a spry left turn
Hello, I must be going

I am Groucho, as you see
My characters are part of me
I sing to you this time with glee
Hello...I must be G O I N G! (again)

I've got the shingle shirt blew-ew-ew-ews
I've got the shingle shirt blues
Which one should I choose?
Something airy and loose
I've got the shingle shirt blues

I am in so much pay-ay-ay-ayn
I am in so much pain
I don't want this again
Like I've been hit by a train
I am in so much pain

It's like the worst sunburn
All around my core
Rubbed with a cheese grater
And then, just a little more

Lemon juice and vinegar
Wiped down upon the rash
I wouldn't wish this on my enemy
Not for all the world's cash

I've got the shingle shirt blew-ew-ew-ews
I've got the shingle shirt blues
Which one should I choose?
Something airy and loose
I've got the shingle shirt blues

It's a pain just to sle-ee-ee-eep
There's no way to sleep deep
If I move just a peep
Off a cliff I will leap
It's a pain just to sleep

I've got the shingle shirt blew-ew-ew-ew ews
I've got the shingle shirt blues
I have got some good news
My Jimmy Buffet fits loose
I've got the shingle shirt blues.

My boy said "dad, we need to talk"
"There's something you should know"
I thought I know just what he'll say
Let's see where this talk goes

I'd practiced in the bedroom
What I'd say when this time came
How I'd use big words like respectful
But, it still sounded kind of lame

He said "Dad. I've lived a secret life"
"I've been in the closet for some years"
I swallowed, and I tried to speak
But, I was fighting back the tears

He'd always dressed ....well different
A little flashier than most
It was a good thing Ma was gone
Or...this boy...he would be toast

He said "Dad, I like Willie"
I felt myself go weak and shake
"In fact I like Johnny too"
I knew we'd made a big mistake

We took him to a broadway show
When the boy was only ten
Now, here he's liking Willie
And he's now, well...one of them

"Paisley"..."that's a favorite"
Why couldn't he just like blue?
"Sugarland"....that's a given
what the hell was I to do?

When he said "Don't worry"
"It's not as bad as it may seem"
I thought my son likes Willie
This is surely a bad dream

I knew the talk was trouble
It was the same back with my Dad
But, when you hear 'bout Johnnies willie
Well, this talk was going bad

I sat down and I smiled
I said "you know I love you all the same"
"But., there never was a sign at all"
"it's all on me....I take the blame"

He said "it's not that big a deal"
I thought ...he must be nuts
But nuts, well he'd like them too
But, the boy...he has some guts

I told him I'd support him
And would accept his lifestyle choice
He said, "Dad. what do you mean?"
I said...i accept that you like boys

He laughed and said, "you're wrong there"
He laughed...was nearly sick
I'm telling you ....though it is hard
I like country music

I said "but you like Willie"
he said "yeah, and so should you"
"I like Johnny Cash and Sugarland"
"I like Brad Paisley too."

My heart was back to normal
I said "I'm glad we had this chat"
He said, "it sure was different"
we shook hands...and that was that

Another day over
Sitting down to share a drink
I made it through another one
Now, it's time to sit and think

Did I give my best today?
Did I turn the other cheek?
I'll try to be a better man
Than I was this time last week

Am I better than I was?
Did I do all I could do?
Did I listen to the word?
Am I the many or the few?
Did I do what I had promised?
Did I make my family proud?
Did I ask to be forgiven?
Did I take all that's allowed?

Another week's upon us now
Time to work hard and do well
The end result's a mystery
A success....too soon to tell?

At the end I'll sit and summarize
Count my blessings and my wrongs
Put the negatives aside for good
And put the blessings in my songs

Am I better than I was?
Did I do all I could do?
Did I listen to the word?
Am I the many or the few?
Did I do what I had promised?
Did I make my family proud?
Did I ask to be forgiven?
Did I take all that's allowed?

Nothing's changed since '56
When the station went and shut
Ninety years of passengers
Closed without a but.....

I know it isn't empty
though no train stops there no more
I can hear the spirits rustle
As they pass on through the open door

They've been waiting on the platform
Since nineteen fifty six
Some don't even know it's closed
They think their watch is playing tricks

They travelled on it living
They travelled on it dead
No train comes on through Hadlow Road
It takes another route instead

The ticketmaster checks the bags
of the ghostly, spirit hoard
Waiting for a long gone train
One that none of them will board

You can hear the spirits sometimes
Waiting on the platform for the train
One that they all used to ride
But, never will again

Hadlow Road Station is closed
And it won't be used again
But, the spirits there are waiting
For a long gone ghostly train

she is the one
of whom i'll not tire
she is the one
who fulfills my desire
she is the one
filling my heart with fire
and if my wife ever meets her...i'm dead

Nothing in this world is free
There is always an agenda
Even the worst hangover
Is the result of a great ******

A favour here, a kind word there
Just what is it they're hiding?
By the time that you figured that one  out
You'll find that you're the horse they're riding

They say to never look a gift horse in the mouth
you never know exactly what you'll find
you've one of two choices exactly where to look
Is it better from the front or from behind?

You'd better read the fine print
When you hammer out a deal
Especially if it's too good to be true
There's alway's something hidden
That will always wiggle out
And the thing that's getting hammered bud...is you

A low rate credit card
Six months at one percent
what is in this deal for them?
Does it seem more than  a little bent?

no strings attached
no background check, absolutely free
I don't know much about your mind
But, this just sounds wrong to me

They say to never look a gift horse in the mouth
you never know exactly what you'll find
you've one of two choices exactly where to look
Is it better from the front or from behind?

I
Finally
Understood
Women's
Minds...
Then
The
Alarm
Went
Off

If love is forever, why do people divorce ?
Some people stay married as a matter of course
If love is determined, it comes down to fate
Then why in some cases, does it happen so late?
Some people get married, divorced, move along
some just don't know what they're doing and most get it wrong
Remember, love is forever, that's the vow that you took
But love isn't something you can learn from a book
It's a feeling  inside, in a place you can't find
It's not just in your heart, it's stuck  in your mind
Love is being willing to sacrifice your life
For not only your children, but your friends and your wife
But, people do not find it on their first go on the ride
Sometimes it's confusing what they're feeling inside
It sneaks up in stages, one day at a time
But, when it really gets a hold it's a feeling sublime
You cherish each moment, you don't think of yourself
you put your old you in a box on a shelf
Some people get lucky and find love first time through
It didn't happen in my life, but it might have with you
But, now that I have it, I know that this is real
It's a feeling when I;m lonely, that is just surreal
I don't think what I want to do, I think only of of you
Your life becomes the other one and with their life you're two
If the feeling is the same for them, a love they can't deny
Then you know that it was determined and will last until you die
But, if love should be forever why do we get it wrong
And keep divorce lawyers working, why does it take so long
To figure out we're not in love and we've got to start again
Why can't we find out quick, like by the count of ten
I'm glad that love's forever, and my love is so great
I just wish whoever planned it, had not left it so late.

Lying
in
a
field
of
heather..
hope
my
decongestant
works!

Today I took a journey
Didn't know what I would find
I didn't venture far though
I just went inside my mind

To some it is intriguing
To see just what I think
I don't go in too far though
I just stay on the brink

Ideas are here a plenty
Each one a flower all in bloom
But, some are hard to capture
And others need some room

A garden full of promise
Self censored, quite aloof
Watered down and milky
Because, you can not face the truth

A bolt of liquid lightning
Sometimes escapes to the air
It gets past all the fences
And lands, god knows where

Thoughts that circle wildly
Cross the line away from light
Thoughts somehow unfocused
That leave me screaming in the light

The word pictures I paint now
Are the ones you want to read
The ones I leave inside me
I don't know just where they lead

Distractions all around me
Squirrel!!!....there's one now
I focus but it's hard to
I can not explain how

I hide away the anger
Leave some thoughts alone to die
I can't put them down on paper
I wouldn't even try

I listen to the voices
I let some of them come out
Others, I hide from
Those are full of doubt

My mind, it is a theater
I'm the only one on stage
Talk about a tough room
A lion, lost inside it's cage

I'm not saying it's crazy
Because, deep down I know I'm fine
But, I can see the journey into madness
Is just one toe over the line

Today, I took a journey
And I seem to have a knack
Of talking to the voices
And letting them talk back

Friends and Lovers
Assorted others
It's up to me
Who I let in

It's my life
to win or lose
It's up to me
To make the rules

I party like there's no tomorrow
And tomorrow's never here
It's my life and no one elses
It's up to me who I let near

I set a course to where I'm goin'
Most times I do not know where
I don't know where I'll end up blowin'
Won't know till I'm standing there

It's my life
I choose who enters
Who gets close
Is up to me
Follow close
The road is bumpy
Just make sure
You hang with me

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

I was gonna write a classic
One that everyone would sing
I've got myself the music
But, the words I couldn't bring
The music it comes flowing
The words they are a miss
I've got nothing for the music
And the music sounds like this...


solo

I need words to fit the  music
words aren't flowing my my lips
There's some magic in the music
It puts movement in your hips
The words just aren't forthcoming
But the music surely is
Do you want to hear the music
Because the music goes like this...

solo

The music gets you dancing
It puts rhythm in your hips
Words...oh hell, who needs 'em
When the music goes like this....

solo play out

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

All you ladies on the floor
Shake what you brought in that door
Ladies, go on show these men
And once you're done...we'll go again

We are gonna play it loud
So you feel it in your soul
We are gonna make you know
You're at a Steel Horse show..

Fill the floor and shake it girls
For now, you're in our party world
It's time for you to dance and play
Come on girls...it's Saturday

You'll be glad as hell you came
You won't be leaving quite the same
We'll take you where you've never been
And tomorrow night we'll start again

We'll play it loud so you can hear
Don't forget to drink some beer
You are at a Steel Horse Party
So, c'mon in and let's get started

It seems that every corner
Has a tribute for someone
A bouquet of dead flowers
For the dead, to think upon

Our town is  just littered
I'd say it has more than I like
Of those memorial statues
Painted white, eerie ghost  bikes

At night you know the spirits
Come back just for a ride
The bike, it is a portal
Bringing spirits to this side

To some they are needed
It helps them all to cope
But, to me it is just ghastly
That freezes all your hope

Ghost bikes keep you grounded
They stop you moving on
You aren't living in the present
Being chained to one who's gone

Put a parking lot for ghost bikes
At the cemetary with the stones
There you can sit and think in silence
Just you and all those bones

I know the bikes have meaning
But to me they just show pain
Move them from the public eye
It's time for ghosts to cut the chain

One hundred years ago
There was silence
We hoped it was forever
Forever is a short time historically
But, it stopped
For a while
And there was peace
For a while

The silence was loud
It was heard around the world
For a while
Soon, the silence faded
But there was silence
For a while

One hundred years ago
The war ended
It was the war to end all others
For a while
One hundred years ago
There was silence
Except for the wind in the poppies
For a while

My
life
passed
before
me....
and
I
wasn't
in
it.

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.

I've been here forever
In your life
But you don't know
I'm on the outside
looking inwards
And my feelings
never show

I've helped you out
through ups and downs
through highs
and through the lows
but, the truth
and how i feel for you
i'm sure you'll never know

close your eyes and see me
stop and listen and you'll hear
there's more than one heart beating
one is mine when you are near
the sight of me escapes you
though i'm always where you are
close your eyes tight so you'll see me
i'm always close, i'm never far

broken hearts
i've mended some
i've been there
when things go wrong
but, the winds of life
come blowing
and you aren't sad
for very long

i'm a friend
but not a lover
not a fighter
just a friend
i'm your shadow
with some feelings
and i'll be there
till the end

close your eyes and see me
stop and listen and you'll hear
there's more than one heart beating
one is mine when you are near
the sight of me escapes you
though i'm always where you are
close your eyes tight so you'll see me
i'm always close, i'm never far

my love
is unrequited
it's one sided
that is true
you never
ask my feelings
the only one
that counts is you

i'm here
when i'm needed
always just
a call away
i'll drop
everything i'm doing
in case
today may be the day

close your eyes and see me
stop and listen and you'll hear
there's more than one heart beating
one is mine when you are near
the sight of me escapes you
though i'm always where you are
close your eyes tight so you'll see me
i'm always close, i'm never far

I woke up in love today
I wasn't in love late last night
In fact I went to bed alone
So, something just ain't right
Cupid shot his arrow
But, he'd better check his sight
'cause I woke up in love today
And I wasn't late last night

I figured I'd go drinking
To the bar, scene of the crime
Nothing felt that different
Hit the jukebox, dropped a dime
Joan Jett hit my eardrums
Grabbed a beer, and nothing more
Then I saw her hair a' flying
As she danced around the floor

An angel in a flannel shirt
High boots and tight blue jeans
She was dancing with no rhythm
To a song from in my teens
I wasn't gonna join her
I can't dance, and I won't try
I just waited till she spun around
Then I'd try to catch her eye

The waitress brought another drink
I paid, and she was gone
And my dance floor angel
Disappeared after that song
It must have been more lust than love
At least that's what I think
I looked around the bar for her
And I had another drink

The waitress took her bar rag
She wiped my table off for me
She put her hand on top of mine
And said this drinks for free
I thanked her, and she smiled
Left her number by my phone
She said why don't you call me
I'll be off when you get home

A few more drinks and smiles
And I left without a glance
But by then I had forgotten
The dancing angel and those pants
I can't remember calling
I don't remember much at all
But I woke up in love this morning
And I don't remember it at all

Once upon a time
In a land far away
Long, long, ago
On a dark and stormy night....

Someone told a story...

And the rest is history.....

Just a short New Year's Wish
Raise a glass and toast the year
Think back now and debate
Another week and it's dusted and done
Goodbye to old two oh one eight

Regardless how it started
And what happened through the year
Celebrate that you're here at the end
And raise a nice cold glass of beer

The Mayans missed about the end of life
And now we've another year to go
A new adventure that will be twelve months long
What it brings, I'm sure that no one knows

So, raise a glass to the end of another long year
And get set to step out once again
I wish you could all have the best year of all
and then multiply all that by ten

Two Oh One Nine could be a year of wonderment
A year that all your dreams come true
It's not predetermined or up in the stars
What you get is all now up to you

So, raise a glass and celebrate that you're still here
And start the New Year off with a smile
A toast to the past and one to what's to come
And let's make it the best year by a mile

Every time I get
your invitation
my heart it skips a beat
it's true my dear
i go and buy my ticket
my motivation
is to ride old thirty nine
again this year

it's funny how life moves on
never waiting for the song....to end
it's funny how life moves on
strangers on a train
and life moves on

one weekend every year
no communication
it's something that i just
don't understand
we go our separate ways
no commisseration
loving you this way
just wasn't planned

One day we will have to say
that it is over
we can't fool ourselves
we've gone to far
but, for now each year
i await your letter
longing for the day
that you'll be near

There
shall
never
be
another...
Nor
should
there...
Muhammad
Ali

I
was
born
fifteen
years
late...
I'm
bad
with
directions!

There is a tale so very old
Of an ancient Fairy King
Older than the world we know
Named Ochna-amadring

He's not been seen for many years
No-one knows if he is dead
There are clues about him though
This is how the legend has been fed

He was present when King Arthur
Took the sword out of the stone
Arthur, he was special
But, could not do that alone

His magic is eternal
He rules the fairy world and more
No one knows if he is living
Or what he has in store

He lives deep in the English woods
That is what they say
It is there that he met Merlin
And Morgan Le Fay

He's lived a thousand lifetimes
Or two, nobody knows
He sailed here with the Vikings
To escape the northern snow

You see his painted magic
Every year upon the leaves
The colors ever changing
Quite a tapestry he weaves

He has many fairy children
Not as cunning or as wise
They are seen by many people
They don't hide from mortal eyes

The Fairy Elder is a legend
Is he real or just a tale
Many search to find him
And in the end, they always fail

Leave the magic for the fairies
Never ask exactly how
The fairy magic is accomplished
Shh...he may be near you now