wanderer's lament

birds in the sky
move through the clouds
feathers fall like sadness
at your mournful sound

beauty so great
hurts to behold
close your eyes to take it in
colors soft and cold

breathe it in
sighs in the air
fall away
face that you wear

breathe it out
memories low and deep
words you speak
prophesy while you sleep

thoughts of the past
cannot sustain
never wrong and never right
echoing refrain

rain in the sky
joins your lament
falls until it covers you
laden with regret

For now this is enough

One day you will grow wings
and I'll take to the sea.
We'll be separated by hemispheres
stratospheres
light years.

I can't keep you to myself.
You can't hold me to your chest.
Holding on breaks our hands.
Running burns our feet.
You can't swim
and I can't breathe.

When the wind blows, it will carry you away.
When the rain falls, it will wash me away.
When the storm comes, it will cast us away.

One day you will grow wings
and I'll take to the sea.
Stand here right next to me
while we still can,
only fingers touch,
for now this is enough.

(revised May 2012)

this changes everything

Ten miles every morning
and ten back each night
all run inside your head
not a ghost in sight.

your face as you walk away
could start a revolution
the heat in my eyes
would only fan the flames

rebel yells and battle hymns
rising like the dawn
i strain hard to listen
to the only voice i know

it was foolish to believe
that you would never leave
that you were my hope
and i was your reprieve

I don't wish for your body,
but I pray for your mind.

dark as night

e---------------g-e
The night is not dark.
f-----------------e-d-----c----e
City lights refract in the smog.
You can only see stars
if you hold your breath for too long.

You must close your eyes.
Shapes without ends are not real.
Night tells the truth:
Trust only what you can feel.

(b)e------(d-c)g---f
Take this night
              a
hold me down, down
deep, down, down, deep down.
whisper words
but don't make a sound, sound, deep down.
       f ------d----b
just hold me down, down
deep down.

This is dark's embrace:
Held tight for hours by the mist.
Why would you sleep?
Daylight has nothing on this.

wild ride

this is not my path
but i can't get away
i fade, i fade, i fade
all shimmer and gray

it's wild, wild, wild
these ghosts i see
we'll go high, high, high,
so dangerously
there's no time, time, time
or place to hide
it's wild, wild, wild
it's a wild ride.

everything is a fight
i just want to retreat
but these ghosts, these ghosts, these ghosts
drop me at your feet

it's wild, wild, wild...

you are not my reward
yet only you remain
this call, this call, this call
echoes in my brain

i'll be gone, gone, gone
before you wake
this road, road, road
is one i must take
please wait, wait, wait
i'll be by your side
it's wild, wild, wild
it's a wild ride.

Em thing

You hold the weight of the world.
You are the sun.
Don't try to turn away.
You are the one.

What is there to do?
Everything's on you.
No rest and no home,
you must stand alone.

Mary Helen

Mary Helen, there's no tellin'
what you're gonna do.
Your ADD's alright with me
because your love is true.

Mary Helen, there's no tellin'
what you're gonna say.
You may be small, but, through it all,
you brighten every day.

Oh Mary Helen,
You never waver
to lend a hand
or do a favor.
In our thoughts,
you're always dwellin'.
Oh Mary Helen!
Oh Mary Helen!

Oh Mary Helen,
through all our drama,
you'll always be
the greatest mama.

When you're around,
our hearts are swellin'.
Oh Mary Helen!
Oh Mary Helen!