Monster

In terror,
watch them flee.
They look,
over their shoulders.
Running as fast,
As their legs will carry them.

It’s hopeless,
yet still they run.
Their blood,
coursing through veins.
Their hearts,
ready to explode through their chest.

The monster,
lurking in the shadow.
The monster,
behind every corner.
The monster,
is whatever they make it out to be.

Close their eyes,
afraid to fall asleep.
Beads of sweat,
Drip drop, drip drop.
They feel the monster,
in pursuit and nipping at their heels.

Where do they turn?
Oh, where do they go?

Crimson blood,
now paints the walls.
And the bodies,
are piling up in the corner.
Running out,
they’re running out of floor space.

Stack them neat,
and stack them higher still.
The memories,
of the departed are here.
Gnawing within,
eating their brains from the inside.

Just take two,
the doctor remarks.
And call me,
First thing in the morning.
To tell me,
how you’re feeling after this.

Now maybe,
these nightmares will end.
And the monster,
will stop hunting them down.
In terror,
They keep running from make believe.

Battle

Wolves howl at the waning moon
Feel the prickly mange at your feet
Hands soiled and charred by earth
Sharpened blade drags in the dirt
Gleams from the flame of bonfires
Tonight the powerful legions rest
Sunrise awaits just below the hills
And beyond that the hated enemy
The truncheons have been weighted
Nerves wound tight and fear released
Get a good night’s sleep gentlemen
For tomorrow we charge

Ferocious roars fill the open valley
Heavy feet shake the hard ground
Generals confident on their steeds
Pressed for victory and nothing less
The numbers are in our favor today
Our hearts are strong and souls steel
Forged from the hands of the Gods
Fear the focus in our enemies eyes
Sword and shields tremble slightly
But just enough to catch the scent
The stink in the air just before the call
Before we spill their blood

Front lines size them up and laugh
Brotherhood and superiority reign
Triumph only in the dismay of others
Pity those who stand in the way
Their fresh blood sating our tastes
Curdling screams rushing adrenaline
Steel tearing into raw bone and sinew
Life fades with one desperate gasp
Bodies begin to fill the landscape
Just before the sun rises to noon
Legions of Hell will cast no shadow
We shall strike them down

Stalking and ravaging their army
Only the once great King remains
He hangs his head with disgrace
Climbs down from his aging horse
Awards his sword to the General
A great cheer rises from the field
The battle is finished and is won
Honorable blood of a thousand men
Coats the great fields of the giants
Our souls are filled with great pride
We have triumphed for our leaders
Celebration lasts for days

And now I look toward the east
Where the sun will rise once more
My head is weary but I’ll survive
The long journey home will begin
Fatigue of battle replaced by joy
My heart fills for the family I’ll see
The land I till the crops I grow
A service to my Emperor always
My soul is powered by his great will
My mind is tempered by his wisdom
But after war my heart shall be filled
By the love of my family

Ideas

Is it true you’re coming ’round tonight?
Cos when you do my mind has the tendency
To become a little more reckless than usual
Nervously run my fingers through my hair
It’s all in the way you take to looking at me
I stammer when I speak, avert my eyes from yours
I’ve a few ideas if you’re willing to listen

We’ll watch the sun come up from the sea
You and I along some sandy quay
And darling when the night gets colder
You can rest your head on my shoulder
Oh, how it’s good to be free

I’ve heard rumors you’re coming ’round tonight
Cos when you do I can’t help but daydream
Looking off into space with a lopsided smile
Nervously run my fingers through my hair
It’s all in the way you take to speaking to me
All the words you say I’ll grin and acquiesce
I know you’ve got ideas and I’m all ears love

We’ll watch the sun come up from the sea
You and I along some sandy quay
And darling when the night gets colder
You can rest your head on my shoulder
Oh, how it’s good to be free

Aviator

Walkin’ down empty streets all alone at night
Meet a man with a cane says he flies planes
Well Mister you know I can’t really talk
See I’m seein’ Jane and I’m late for my train
She’s a real pain and I can’t leave her in the rain
She looks real bad when she gets soaked

Well this man would have none of my plight
Son your heart got away, your soul’s gone astray
To all the places that tomorrow never knows
And if I may you’ve got to go and seize it today
It’s too late to pray, son just dive into the fray
You’re lookin’ real bad when you get down

But what else can I do?
Just waiting in the queue

This man was a well of wisdom giving me a sip
I let him speak his mind now that I make time
Son let me tell you about the loved and the lost
He said you’ll come to find they’re not so kind
But love will wind and always become entwined
You’re lookin real bad when your heart’s broke

So now I took of my hat and decided I’d go on
Mister her name’s Allison, thought she was the one
But I lost my head and she lost her desire
And it ain’t always so fun when I’m not in her sun
Her love can’t be outdone now that I got none
Not lookin’ so bad whenever I see her

But what else can I do?
Standing without you

Well this man with his cane would not be stopped
Son don’t be blue you know I’ve been there too
Everyone’s heart aches every now and then
You’ll make it through, can tell by lookin’ at you
Let me give you a clue, all my words are true
You’re lookin’ better with time

But what else can I do?
I bid her a fair adieu

Sweet Lullaby

I’m patient of what’s to come
Maybe just playing dumb
I’ll wait for another tomorrow
‘Cause I got time left to borrow
As always just trying to play cool
In the end I’m playing the fool
I know you were expecting more
But nobody else is coming through the door

I’m overzealous of what I want
Said with a smile and sickly jaunt
I don’t know any sweet lullabies
Read between cigarettes and lies
Neither of us really has much to say
Must be all cause of this rainy day
I know you were expecting more
But nobody else is coming through the door

Now it’s anyone’s best guess
As to whose gonna clean my mess
I can feel a tiny scratch in my mind
And old friends who weren’t so kind
All these thoughts that lie within me
Tell me that I’m too far gone to see
I know you were expecting more
But nobody else is coming through the door

Down

Clouds drift and pass in the big blue sky
And I wonder if that’s you looking up at me
Falling is easy when there’s nowhere else to go
Nowhere else to go but down

Trying to hold my breath
Can’t you see how blue I’ve become?
Would you believe the depths I’ve been?
You’ve got me scared to death
And my other half’s always a mess
When I’m in a dream

It seems like a long way down
Now that I’m falling
Tumbling down a staircase
Maybe even a rabbit hole
When you look up high
Into the big blue sky
Do you see me tumbling
Or do you just ask yourself why
And wave, wave, wave
Wave goodbye

You know lately I’ve come to find
That forever looking down
Is going to be the death of me

Tangerine Dream

Sweat drips down they start to pursue
The hounds of hell snapping at yer heels
Jowls dripping insatiable blood lust
Run for yer life to the back of the queue
Price paid for back alley brokered soul deals

Morphine drip drop coma induced fuzz
Several shades of the prettiest blues and pinks
A cheshire smiling snake oil man of trust
Can charm the bee’s knees off their buzz
Held you by the scruff pushed to the brink

Open yer eyes sunbeams pour in like wine
Crippled by dragon’s maw fiery mind’s eye
Bottomed out hourglass scene sussed
Out in a park flying kites electrify am fine
Yer tarnished crown not held quite so high

And from my tree
So jovially smoking
I’ll sit and let you be
The reigned upon king

Failure

I’ve never found the answers
At the bottom of any bottle
I’ve been given plenty of labels
Most of them have never stuck
Failure, fuck up, lazy and loser
Uninspiring words from those
Who don’t know what it’s like
I’ve been stoned out of my mind
Tripped to places seldom seen
Traipsed the world for answers
They were just out of my grasp
My fingers clawing at the gaps
She tells me my love’s in vein
But my effort wasn’t in doubt
I was left nonplussed in the car
Distraught and dismantled
My heart sundered in pieces
I still haven’t found them all
Swallowing those ersatz pills
Of false words, forced smiles
Couldn’t she slip me a noose
From the hangman’s gallows
Metaphorically, of course
She wore the executioner’s hood
With such zeal and aplomb
I certainly couldn’t resist her
Poisonous advances that rose
Like fog rolling in from the sea
Her voice striking through
The sword piercing my armor
Falling to my knees, gasping
To do this all over again

I Remember

I remember…
When you took my hand the first time
One day after the final frost of winter
While tulips pushed through the soil
Spring had begun

How you lifted me from the bottom
Of a bottle or my thoughts with a hand
Showed me it can mean as much as a smile
So I smiled back

The way you could sing the blues
Delicate, beautiful yet raw, untamed
A siren sweetly singing take me away
Take me away

Watching your fingers pick the guitar
Left hand just like Paul you always said
My harp couldn’t keep your torrid pace
I wailed along

The hood of my car, cigarettes and the stars
Led Zeppelin I, the ocean and that first kiss
The night was young then again so were we
And so were we

And I remember the last words you said
As you forced one last smile before I left
You said I know I’ll see you on the other side
And your eyes closed

(Dedicated to Anna Michiko Reardon, the first girl I ever loved. 03/17/81-04/18/03)