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say grace

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she was almost out of high school when she left home
got a job in an office
she answered the phone
her boss was a creep
he wouldn’t leave her alone she had to go

middle of that mess she met a fine young man

they rolled into houston in a chevrolet van louisiana tags
a beautiful band of gold they carried each other so long
but they drifted apart never really went wrong

married too young both moved along ciest la vi

she starts every day just fine

then she hears that voice same place same time

her mother is in the mirror with the same old lines to say

she says
you know better baby
say grace
don’t even try
you can’t take your brother’s place don’t even try
don’t give me that face any more

so where does the time go
there is gray in her hair
she sits at her dressing table
in a wrought iron chair
wears a tarry cloth robe
with a tear
when she is alone
the tv says war in the holy land
she looks at the wrinkles on the
back of her hand
rubs her finger where she wore a wedding band she looks away

precious savior
she remembers a hymn it is a hymn
she never liked
she goes to the gym goes to work dinner with a friend falls asleep
with the tv on

you know better baby
say grace
don’t even try
you can’t take your brothers place don’t even try
don’t give me that face anymore

say grace baby you know how

all these years even now s

tand up mother take a bow

cause you still make her cry

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The Tattooed Woman

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the tattooed woman sleeps in my bed

the ink is dry

the dogs are fed

the moon is safe

her face is red

the tattooed woman

sleeps in my bed

her hair is black
her skin is white
she’s pulled the sheets around her tight i wish i had the right
to comfort her as a husband might

rain is coming that’s how it feels

now i lay me down to sleep
the lord out wandering with his sheep oh so many souls to keep
now i lay me down to sleep

rain is coming that’s how it feels

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The sweeping up the heart, and putting love away - dickinson

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Road Crew

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Sunday morning
road crew in the rain
bill boards
beer cans
the street cleaners block my lane they are sweeping up the hearts that is what they say
they are sweeping up the hearts putting love away

flag man so go slow or double fines

radio talk show flashing signs

for brake shops

for batteries
for new and rebuilt parts

guys in hard hats sweeping up the hearts

they are sweeping up the hearts that is what they say
they are sweeping up the hearts

putting love away

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Migrants

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it is not that far
the smuggler said
walk north one day across la cabeza prieta

keep walking to interstate eight

they walked that day
the next
the next
the water ran out one by one ay mijitos
they looked like dried leaves scattered in the sun

 

Oh My Dear We are Lost

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it is so far away
from the lowlands of veracruz to the desert north of sonora

where they strung out in ones and twos they got twelve lines
in a midwestern paper
on the pages with the ads for shoes

fourteen men got lost in the desert they were migrants
they got twelve lines of news

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pull together my brothers the devil passes
how we burn

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they got twelve lines
in a midwestern paper
on the pages with the ads for shoes they were migrants
they got twelve lines of news

oh my dear ones we are lost

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White Heat

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that’s what you get
you dirty copper
little jimmy cagney said
there are thirteen rounds in the hopper
then the cops made jimmy dead
copper penny for your thoughts
copper jacket full of lead
they wanted little jimmy cagney dead
thats what you get you dirty copper
you get thirteen rounds in the hopper mama mama how he yelled
told them coppers he could fly
from the gasoline tank when he got nailed yelling you dirty rats
it is one big lie
the crowd yelled back
fly jimmy fly
all the excitement everybody got high

mama mama how he yelled

from the gasoline tank when he got nailed

where have you gone my love

now that i have found my way

where have you gone my love

now that I am old and gray

bells are ringing choirs are singing
step out in the field
if you are looking for trouble man you can find it
but come out swinging

out in the field the farmers burning the stubble

out in the field people living in the rubble

but only come out if you are looking for trouble bells are ringing
choirs are singing
you get what you want
but come out swinging

where have you gone my love

now that i have found my way

where have you gone my love now that I am old and gray

thats what you get
little jimmy cagney said thirteen rounds
in the hopper
then the cops made jimmy dead

copper penny for your thoughts copper jacket full of lead
they wanted little jimmy cagney dead

that’s what you get
you dirty copper
you get thirteen rounds in the hopper

mama mama how he yelled told them coppers
you go to hell

where have you gone my love

now that i have found my way

where have you gone my love

now that I am old and gray

 

Ditch

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i am crawling back down in the ditch today

got a crazy ass wife
a baby on the way
glad i got work
glad i got pay
crawling back down in the ditch today

the crew’s a bunch of stoners the boss is a shit
be a miracle if one of us does not get hit
by a ton of pipe
on a cheap ass chain swinging round the sky
in this pouring ass rain

i am crawling back down in the ditch today

got a crazy ass wife
a baby on the way
glad i got work
glad i got pay
crawling back down in the ditch today

my crazy ass wife nutty as her brother

supposed to marry rich according to her mother

supposed to marry up now she is knocked up down

by a poor man wrestling a pipe in the ground

i am crawling back down in the ditch today got a crazy ass wife
a baby on the way
glad i got work
glad i got pay
crawling back down in the ditch today

my wife god bless her and for what it is worth

thinks she and taylor swift
were twins at birth
separated at birth
earth to wife
wife to earth

i am crawling back down in the ditch today

got a crazy ass wife
a baby on the way
glad i got work
glad i got pay
crawling back down in the ditch today

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interlude

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Isn't Love Great

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there is a beautiful woman
she walks with a limp
he calls her his princess
calls her his gimp
she calls him her fat man
calls him her pimp
she teaches first graders got a beautiful limp

isn’t love great isn’t love grand

she touches his face

he holds her hand

isn’t love great

isn’t love grand

for years they’ve been married not one day of trouble
got two happy boys
good luck
daily double
love to dance with each other

say they live in a bubble
go to church twice a week

not one day of trouble

isn’t love great isn’t love grand

she touches his face

he holds her hand isn’t love great isn’t love grand

glory hallelujah
my sisters and my brothers she wears fishnet
he wears leather
when the boys are at his mothers

there is a beautiful woman
she walks with a limp
he calls her is princess
calls her his gimp
she calls him her fat man
calls him her pimp
she teaches first graders got a beautiful limp

isn’t love great isn’t love grand

she touches his face

he holds her hand

isn’t love great

isn’t love grand

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And what rough beast, its hour come round at last... - yeats

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introduction to feast

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Feast

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what rough beast

there are mega blessings a golden fleece
 close thine eyes on that rough beast

dues are paid
palms are greased
your neighbors in the neighborhood sufficiently policed
feast
close thine eyes on
that rough beast

i had a dream last night
a woman came to my bed
her hair was made out of light
she said wake up deacon

the time is right wake up deacon
it’s our wedding night

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i had a dream

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what rough beast there are mega blessings a golden fleece
a golden fleece close thine eyes on that rough beast

feast, feast close thine eyes on that rough beast

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Sweet Hour of Prayer

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sweet hour of prayer
that calls me from this world of care

that calls me from this world of care

 

Panhandle Winter

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it’s is a panhandle winter
i hear it may snow
blow a sky full of dirt
back to old mexico
a fresh pane of glass
and one dearborn stove
are not enough to keep out the cold

it’s cold on the prairie
when a blue northern runs
down the canadian past a frail winter sun

with a wind like a combine
in a high plains wheat field
comes down the prairie
like blue tempered steel

the morning sun
falls soft on the bed
on the king james bible
that lies at the head
all this is passing is all she said

all this is passing is all that she said

its cold on the prairie
when a blue northern runs
down the canadian past a frail winter sun

with a wind like a combine
in a high plains wheat field
comes down the prairie
like blue tempered steel

a windbreak a windbreak
i want no more cold heartache

like a horse turn my back to the wind

a warm heart a warm house
not a wind burned prairie farm house

good whiskey
the smile of a friend

it’s a panhandle winter
I hear it may snow
blow a sky full of dirt
back to old mexico
a fresh pane of glass
one dearborn stove
are not enough to keep out the cold

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Go in Peace

​

zip un zip snap un snap

hook un hook

strap un strap

button by button

all of her clothes fall down

candlelight to canvas

red wine to red lips

one bare shoulder

white silk to cream hips

button by button
all of her clothes fall down

all fall down
all fall down
all fall down
all fall down button by button
all of her clothes fall down

lord show me how you hide

in the perfume of this saint

show me how you hide
in the brushes and the paint

show me how you hide

your daughter
from your son
show me how you hide the things that you want done

button by button
all her her clothes fall down

all fall down
all fall Down button by button
all of her clothes fall down

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g o i n p e ac e

 

go in peace
go in kindness
go in love
go in faith
leave the day
the day behind us day is done
go in grace
let us go
into the dark
not afraid
not alone
let us hope
by some good pleasure safely to
arrive at home

let us hope
by some good pleasure safely to
arrive at home

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