Delicate Sleep

He let the book fall quiet at the side of they're bed.
He had been reading "The Beat Hotel", which was set in Paris.
It was good reading after a two week drinking binge,
although his back ached when reading in bed.
He rolled toward the crimson hair of his lover.
She lay with her back to him in a delicate sleep.
He was glad she had returned,
he knew how good she was for him.

In The Shadows

My friend lost
a Tiny bit of himself
they stole it away and hid it beneath
a rubber tomahawk.

He got drunk and walked into
the wind the wrong way.

Haven't seen him the same
in a while.

We used to drink in the shade
wearing long pants in the summer.

That was the last I saw of him,
what a shame,
it's good to drink in the shade.

Tired

Life For Sale By Owner
take away sale
you want it you got it
no strings

Some they say
it would be nice in these shoes
well
walk a mile

The West Koot's

Came across a good time
danced upon the black top streets
jumped in the cooling waters of Kootenay Lake
and howled like a beast in the torrid summer heat.

World Gone Wrong

when you can't evict a trespasser
from private land
a place forest is taken away
replaced by power lines
a place where the farmer falls
at the feet of enterprise
and people never return your call
white lies and meetings
behind public eyes
Bob Dylan said it
"the world's gone wrong"

Was She Worth It?

He stammered hard into the metal gate.
A droplet of blood beaded and fell from his brow.
was she worth it?
Not in the morning swollen and resentful.
Are they ever worth it?
Maybe once when he was young.

Stoned

Remember me.

I used to get high and dance.
that was then
I can't remember the last time I was high
Musta been back in Humbolt
'round th 60,s


back then it was better than
"all good"
The shit was everywhere.

Friends of mine were stoned 24/7
It was a rice cake splatteredsoda
with a misttwist bliss

Gone

you must be drunk
as you stagger to the bar door
you alone on booze
and me drunk on a motorcycle
passing drunk in the wind
as he tells me his wife is gone
and I feel for her
in the dark

At The Fingertips of Angels

With Japhy's help on a hot afternoon,
we placed a monument for our family.
We each carried full packs up the mountain.
Mortar, water, glue, trowels, hammers and chisels.
And of course, a couple of cold beer in my pack.
A homage for my brother and parents.

Hey

Always thought I was the late night
then I learned this was the first day of my life

and when they
knocked at 7:10 am

That rocked
more than
a boat that don't float

It was prior to the ship sinking
in sand to the Gallows
that's when I knew it was time to jump ship

Before they
tested the live wire

Brandy

Rock'd the boat
Fluted the canoe
stayed up late
and payed my dues

It's like whoring
for rent
Just worthy of keep

Must be the brandy
I'll be good for another month

All the bad moods
and shit
goes away

Rally Weekend

With half a drink in hand
and no one to count
I'm sure
I'm more than
better
than any other man
Ones only as rich as you feel
then tomorow
there's no pennies in your wallet

Tomorrow

pretty in pink she watches
the TV
I beg for her
to sit on my knee
So she comes to see what is it
I'm looking for
She gives me all I ask for
I shouldn't complain
but I'm drunk on conversation and Brandy
And tomorrow
we'll wake half in love
and half on the other side of bed
That's where I see the picture of her

Tire change

Nothing says satisfaction like doing it by yourself for the first time.

Got It Made?

I'm so exhausted
of only being half way there.
I'm so tired
of forgetting how to care.
I'm far too busy,
to believe in
what is nearly here.
I'm so damn tired
of the bullshit that surrounds me.
I'm too damn waisted
to know what's really there.
And you know
sometimes I don't even care.
Most the time
I know I've got it made,
I just need to learn
how to open up my eyes.
I only have to learn
what's really fair.
It's all around me
the fools and distractions.
I only have to look
and there it's in the mirror.

Eating Pills

Took the Bone Man over the mountain
drank beer and smoked
watched him spew pills onto the cabin floor,
called to a black bear
just for fun
and drank far beyond last call.

Afraid of new surroundings
but comfort in friends.
Came home a day early
to hospital smiles.
Eddy, drunk in the rear seat
talked us back East.

The stories will be
more fun to tell
than time spent.
But I can see him now
with a smile on his face.

Jack's Old Friend

Jack had an old friend stop by today
just for a quick eight beers
it was good timing
Jack had a pocket full of dollars
and no shit in his bloodstream
they talked about writing and the fact that neither of them had been discovered and that the most likely never would be
the sun reflected in the still bayou waters
as the unopened Budweiser lie in the shade along the old wooden chairs
in the distance a harmonica sounded
it was a lazy still afternoon and the buzz was just right
Jack had been drinking consecutively for four days
although, he had managed to make it to work for the last couple of days
He had rat and mouse shit falling from his hair and was thankful they were drinking from the can
Jack sobered around the fourth beer
and kicked his old friend out
said he had to take care of some business with the Miss's
his old buddy took right wise
and found a tree to piss under on the way out

Edit Me

light's down low
dream'n through cob webs
and the cold scream of a squirrel dying
life's in the grace of your hands
don't load the shit you stole on me
my guns loaded as gun barrel blues
gunna take it all away
like melting ice
like velvet red sins
it's all I own
take em or leave me alone
the whole shit'n caboodle
born out of emptiness
it's all good with god and me
open eyes to blind
me

Better to burn out than fade away

He's widely misunderstood
What went wrong
was it when his mother
or maybe when his father died
His flame put out by smoke
Him on an old steal horse
running atop freedom
A philosopher
with courage to say
what others condemn
Many they point fingers
cause they simply don't understand
He's "The Free Realtor"
giving away mountains to passer-bys
Oh I've seen him screaming drunk
looking darkness in the eye
He's widely misunderstood
a man made of passion
but they'll condemn him
cause they don't know
where else to point