Double Yellow Birdbath 12/26/87

The bums across my town
Are interesting guys indeed
They walk around and yell at things
That can't talk back to them
Extracting wisdom out of the
Telephone pole there
Wondrin' why it gave you bad advice
Double yellow line down the middle of my yard
See the bum resting on my
Birdbath made of gold
Thinking that something
Must be wrong with my thoughts
Coz I'm relating to the bums across my town
Put coins into the slot to
Make important calls
Press the coin return
And get a nickel extra back
And know that once again I can't get the dough
Looking down I see that my
Beard has grown a lot
Covering the shirt I wear each day
The bums across my town
Are interesting guys indeed
Come with us, come and join our creed
Lifestyles of the Salvation Army
A lamp post is my friend
The day that I was born was the
Beginning of the end

I Sense 12/24/87

Near the end
I sense my problems
I can face them if I try
I can see both
Front and back now
But my eyes are trained on you
My life has been
Nothing short of
Looking elsewhere for some help
But now I can't
Help myself again
Help me please if you will
The gift you gave me
Touched me deeply, girl
I'll use it just as much as I dare
Near the end
I sense your presence
I can face you if I try
You can see me
For who I am now
But my eyes can't face you eye to eye
I laugh it off
Nothing short of
Rudeness in the face of God
Near the end
I sense my problems
Solving them will not be hard
Coz I've got
My heart so full
Of joy that I can't lose

Straightforward 11/15/87

Straightforward message
Straightforward sin
Straight toward trouble
Look at the trouble I'm in
I'll be straightforward
I'll lay it on the line
I got nothing to say to you
Except you should be mine
But why - why am I saying this
In a stupid little song
I should tell you to your face
So you could tell me I was wrong
How many times do you hear that rhyme?
I'm sick of it myself
But nothing else comes to mind
Cliche it all to death
Straightforward boy
Straightforward girl
Straightforward love
Give it all a whirl
Whirl whirl whirl
Straightforward girl
With a ponytail
Straightforward curl
I mentioned all my troubles
I guess I ain't got lots
I try not to wallow
But I got more than you got
So there

Waiting For 12/09/87

Waiting for the day when we will all take a stand
Forget the consequences and get out of the frying pan
If you're afraid of fire I will help you fight the flame
Then I'll know that I have tried and not avoided blame

Waiting for a time when I can love you better still
Forget my inhibitions I've got an empty heart to fill
If you're afraid of love I'll try to rid you of your fear
But damn it I can't help you if you won't let me near

Waiting for my strength which I feel will never come
Forget the things I've seen, try not to let them make me run
I'm afraid of staying but I feel this is a must
I really hate to fight but I will fight to keep your trust

Waiting for myself to stop giving in on everything
Forget the consequences just to go out and play and sing
I'm afraid of trying coz it's imprinted on my brain
That creating and performing are reserved for the insane

Waiting for my fears to stop and for my lift to start
Forget what people do and say and do what's in my heart
I am now afraid to lead I'd rather let myself be led
And my hate of your oppression turns my rosy cheeks to red

The Path Of My Return 11/30/87

Kissin by the light out of your car
Askin myself why we're where we are
And knowing that we shouldn't be this way
I guess I'm pretty drunk but that's no excuse for this
Bodies relate, minds do not, in this alcoholic kiss
And I know we will feel awkward in the morn
Take advantage of your innocence and youth
The alcohol it brings a fecund truth
The reality smacks upside the head
I'll call you up real soon
I say by the light of moon
I'll look up your # so please give me your name
No strings are attached but I dance like a marionette
And my arms are feeling tired from a dance not done quite yet
And the puppeteer is angry with my step
The path of my return
Is checked with things I haven't learned
The path leads in, then out of your front door
Truly I regret my actions could I take them back
But I expect too much from you, to lift me back on track
And your feelings for me will not break your heart
The path of my leaving is the same as my return
Picking up too late on things that I could have learned
I realize them as I run through your door
And I now know that I am
Never to return

This Time 10/28/87

So many things run through my mind
This time
I've got confusion in my step
This time
And I want to do something that might help
This time
But it seems that its all been done before
This time
I wish there had never been
This time
And I will never forget about this time
So - come on
With me
To a place where there is never any need
Hop on
My back
I'll carry us away from all this greed
Come on - give me your hand
And we'll make it right
This time
But this time I feel empty
Its all been washed away
Affecting me less and less
So take me as you may
This is different from any other time
This time

A Twisted Admission Of Guilt 10/18/87

I watch as the comb runs
Thru your silken hair
And I'm catching all the strands that lfy
So high into the air
And now they are catching me
To save me from my fall
Slipping thru their grasp
They do not help at all
Pity on the broken window pane
That shows me what you do
Punish oh the scoundrel
Make him fix the window new
The rugs are spitting gossip
Into my fractured ear
And the walls laugh so hard
With their ever present sneer
Go you now and tell
All that you have heard
I'll be gone when you return
Oh now don't be so absurd
The writing on my shoe
Tells me that she is lost
Writing from my pen
Says press on at any cost

Buses Round The White House 09/21/87

Buses round The White House
Cutting off our impassioned pleas
President don't talk to you
He don't like what he sees
Blood like dye in water
Colors the Reflecting Pool
And I gasp as clubs are beating
I've become the nation's tool
Veterans of Vietnam
Generation of slaves
Priest in Northern Ireland
Filling empty graves

Tinted windows
White House turned to black
Get aboard the bus, boy
You won't be coming back

Picket signs are carried
Like clubs in angry war
Protesters losing sight of things
That they've been fighting for
Bloody battles fought
By men who cannot drink
Make them kill a man
Then vomit in the sink
Born on Independence Day
Future bright as gold
See my battered face
In the shiny metals that I've sold

Tinted windows
White House turned to black
Get aboard the bus, boy
You won't be coming back

5 O'Clock Bath 10/13/87

I am not myself now
Sitting in this room
I am someone else now
Wallowing in gloom
Tears are falling from my eyes
Onto your open wounds
Will I leave you here for dead
A curse upon your tomb
Ulcer eating up my mind
Burping out my ear
You can knock me all you want
No one will be here
Here are my frustrations
Smashed upon your nose
Standing in the shower
To wash my dirty clothes
Drug induced hysterics
Lovely in their glee
Don't ever want to come back down
You might not talk to me
Splish splash I was takin' a bath
When I slipped onto the floor
One two three four five o'clock rock
And I'm sliding out the door

Don't Give Me That 10/08/87

Show me your ideas
Pick one out of a hat
Give me all your money
Just don't give me that

Don't give me that, don't give me that
Bullshit from a piece of shit - just don't give me that
God damn - you want a rhyme?
I'll do it double time
Just please don't ever give me none of that
I've got no patience now
So please don't tell me how
To run my life I don't want none of that

Show me your ideas
Pick one out of a hat
Give me all your money
Just don't give me that

Give me nothing at least not that
Buddy boy my buddy boy just don't give me that
Pretty boy fly by night
Nothing ever right
And I just don't want to hear any of your shit

Show me your ideas
Pick one out of a hat
Give me all your money
Just don't give me that