The Morning-After Bell

The Morning-After Bell


I wanted today to be so golden, but I lost
So play me the blues – cause I’m blue
I could complain – but what good – would it do?
You wouldn’t change – if you knew

That I wanted to be your friend
When you were filling up with light
How could we need the morning?
For an hour, roses scoured the night
And I wanted to be your friend
And I wanted to be right…

How many times have I said, “this time,” just to not?
Pandering to – the ripcord
No good at this – I was raised right – give me that
Can’t keep up with you – for very long

But I wanted to be your friend
When you were filling up with light
How could we need the morning?
“Precious” we bestow on the finite
And I wanted to be your friend
And I wanted to be right…

But I can’t stand the way you treat the broken in your life
I can’t stand the way you kiss and tell

Maybe tomorrow I’ll do better – I’ll be on
Stir my coffee even when it’s black
I wish I were fooled – instead I just – play the fool
Limping away – from your ruin

Still I wanted to be your friend
When you were filling up with light
How could we need the morning?
All my quiet fears you did benight
And I wanted to be your friend
And I wanted to be right…

But I can’t stand the way you treat the broken in your life
I can’t stand the way you kiss and tell
No, I can’t stand the way you play so nice but are not kind
I can’t stand the morning-after bell


July 26th, 2017

Within

Within


Tip my hat
I am so disappointed
You had me for a moment
Yeah, well played
I call all of the numbers
No one answers but machines
I gave you my endorsement
It was a grave mistake

I invited you inside
Where I showed you all their necks
In the mirror all I saw was my own face
Flirting with the sisters of the ones that got away
Tell me, how long have you always been this way?
Flirting with the sisters of the ones that got away
In the mirror I can only see my face

Take a bow
I am so ashamed
I had them for a moment
Then the moment got away
I call all of the numbers
No one answers but machines
I feel older than I am
And lonelier than vanity

Lurching, leering, bargaining
Kissing hipbones, pawing knees
Let’s arrange my skeletons – autobiographically

I invited you inside
Where I showed you all their necks
In the mirror all I saw was my own face
Flirting with the daughters of the ones that got away
Tell me, how long have you always been this way?
Flirting with the daughters of the ones that got away
In the mirror I can only see my face


July 23, 2017