GO FISHING (Waters)

​

As cars go by I cast my mind's eye
Over backpacks on roof racks
beyond the horizon
Where dream makers
Working in white plastic processors
Invite the unwary
To reach for the foot in the sky
Go fishing my boy!
We set out in the spring
With a trunk full of books about everything
About solar devices
And how nice natural childbirth is
We cut down some trees
And we trailed our ideals
Through the forest glade
We dammed up the stream
And the kids cooled their heels
In the fishing pool we'd made
We held hands and we exchanged bands
And we practically lived off the land
You adopted a fox cub
Whose mother was somebody's coat
You fed him by hand
And then snuggled him down
In the grandfather bed while I wrote
And we grew our own maize
And I only occasionally went into town
To stock up on antibiotics
And shells for the shotgun that I kept around
I told the kids stories while you worked your loom
And the sun went down sooner each day
Chapter six, in which Eeyore has a birthday and gets two presents
Daddy...come on, Dad
Eeyore the old gray donkey stood by the side
Of the stream and he looked at himself in the water
"Pathetic", he said, "That's what it is"
"Good morning Eeyore", said Pooh
"Oh," said Pooh. He thought for a long time
The leaves all fell down
Our crops all turned brown
It was over
As the first snowflakes fell
I realized all was not well in the camp
The kids caught bronchitis
The space heater ran out of diesel
One weekend a friend from the East
rot his soul
Stole your heart
I said, "Fuck it then
Take the kids back to town
Maybe I'll see you around"
I said, "Go to him!"
She said, Okay"
And so, leaving all our hopes and dreams
To the wind and the rain
Taking only our stash
Left our litter and trash
And set out on the road again
On the road again

Bye-bye, Daddy

​

As the cars go by empty my mind's eye
on backpacks on roof racks
beyond the horizon
where the dream makers
working white plastic processors
invite the unwary
reach for the cake in the sky
go fishing my boy!
We leave in the spring
with a trunk full of books about everything
about solar devices

and how beautiful is the natural birth
we cut some trees
and we trace our ideals
through the forest clearing
we stagnate the current
And the boys chilled their heels
in the fishing pool we did
and we held hands and switched sides
and we practically live off the ground
you adopted a pack of foxes
whose mother was someone's coat
you fed them with your hand
and you snuggled him, you snuggled him
near my grandfather's bed while I was writing
we grow our own corn
and only occasionally went to the city
to stock up on antibiotics
and shells for the shotgun that lay around
I told the children stories while you worked your loom
and the sun set earlier each day
*Chapter six, in which Eeyore has a birthday
and get two gifts
daddy... come daddy
Eeyore the old gray donkey stood by
of the river and looked at himself in the water
"Pathetic" he said, "that's what it is"
"good morning Eeyore" said Pooh
"Oh" said Pooh, he thought for a long time
The leaves have all fallen
our crops have all turned brown
it's over
as the first snowflakes fell
I realized that not everything was fine in the camp
the children caught bronchitis
heater fuel ran out
a weekend a friend from the east
rotted his soul
stole your heart
I said "fuck it then
take the kids back to town
maybe I'll see you there"
And so... leaving all our hopes and dreams
to the wind and the rain
taking only our reservations
leaving our rubbish and waste
and we set off on the road again
on the road again
bye daddy, bye daddy

 

FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY PART 1 (Waters)

​

For the first time today
I feel it's really over
You were my everyday excuse
For playing deaf, dumb and blind
Who'd have ever thought
This was how it would end for you and me
To carry my own millstone
Out of the trees
And I have to admit
I don't like it a bit
Being left here beside this lonely road
lonesome road
lonesome road

​

for the first time today
I feel like it's really over
you were my daily excuse
to play deaf dumb and blind
who would have thought
That this is how it would end for you and me
carrying my own load
out of the trees
and i have to admit
I don't like it one bit
to be left here along this lonely road
lonely road
lonely road

 

DUNROAMIN, DUNCARIN, DUNLIVIN

​

Truckdriver : "Hey kid, you looking for a lift?...Get on up here
How's it going good buddy?"
I nailed ducks to the wall
Kept my heart in dark ruins
I built bungalows all over the hills
Dunroamin, duncarin, dunlivin
Took my girl to the country
To sleep out under the moon
Next thing she's going crazy
Trucker :"Women are like that kid
What the hell can you do?
She waits for the real Mr. Right to come
Gently removing her heart
With his promises of real communication
Trucker :"I saw a program about that on TV......"
Who's always picking up the tab
Who built a bungalow for his mum and dad
I
Who took you out to all the shows
Who worked his fingers to the bone
I
While you were asleep
Man :"It was me...I did"
I kept you in buttons and bows
Man :"Christ all those clothes"
So you could encourage this creep
With his neat feet
And his clean fingers
With his wise but twinkling eyes
He's a rock standing out in an ocean of doubt
Trucker :"Get moving, get off the road ya Goddamn faggot"
and commitment
I'd like to go on with this bit of a song
Describing this schmuck
I'd like to go on
But I'm gonna throw up
Trucker :"Not in my rig you don't boy...get the hell out of here"

​

Driver: Hey kid, are you looking for a ride? ... get on here
how are you good friend?
I have nailed ducks to the wall
kept my heart in dark ruins
I built my chalet on the hills
I have wandered, I have cared, I have lived
I took my girl to the field
to sleep outside under the moon
then she is crazy
Driver: Women are like children.
what the hell can you do?
she waits for the real Mr. Right to come
gently stirring his heart
with its promises of real communication
Host: Ví a program about that on TV...
who is always collecting the bill
who built a chalet for his mom and dad
I...
who took you to all the shows
who worked his fingers to the bone
I...
while you were asleep
Man: It was me... I was
I kept you in buttons and ties
Man: Christ all these clothes

so you could encourage this creep
with his neat feet
and her clean nails
with his wise but twinkling eyes
he is a rock in the middle of an ocean of doubts
Driver Keep moving, get out the way you fucking fagot
and commitment
I would like to continue with this piece of song
describing this jerk
I would like to continue, but I am going to throw it away
Driver: Not on my rig you don't boy... get the hell out of here

​

​

THE PROS AND CONS OF HITCH HIKING

An angel on a Harley

Pulls across to greet a fellow rolling stone
Puts his bike up on its stand
Leans back and then extends
A scarred and greasy hand, he said
Hells Angel : "How ya doin bro?...where ya been?...where ya goin?"
Then he takes your hand
In some strange Californian handshake
and breaks the bone
Angel's Moll : "Have a nice day"
A housewife from Encino
Whose husband's on the golf course
With his book of rules
Breaks and makes a 'U' and idles back
To take a second look at you
you flex your rod
Fish takes the hook
Sweet vodka and tobacco in her breath
Another number in your little black book
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking
Oh babe, I must be dreaming
I was standing on the leading edge
The Eastern seaboard spread before my eyes
"Jump" said Yoko Ono
"I'm too scared and too good looking" I cried
"Go on," she says
"Why don't you give it a try?
Why prolong the agony
All men must die"
Do you remember Dick Tracy?
Do you remember Shane?
Joey: "And mother wants you"
Could you see him selling tickets
Where the buzzard circles over
Joey: "Shane"
The body on the plain
Did you understand the music, Yoko
Or was it all in vain?
Joey: "Shane!"
The bitch said something mystical "Herro"
So I stepped back on the curb again, wooh
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking
Oh babe, I must be dreaming again
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking

​

An angel on a Harley
glides across to greet a fellow "rolling stone"
he puts his motorcycle in his parador
leans back and then stretches out
a scarred and greasy hand...he says
Hell Angels: what are you doing brother?... where have you
been?... where are you going?
so take your hand
in a strange californian handshake
and break the bone
Angel's Moll: Have a nice day
A housewife from Encino
whose husband is on the golf course
with your rule book
it breaks and makes a "U" and is returned
to take a second look at you
you bend your rod
the fish takes the hook
sweet vodka and tobacco on her breath
another number in your little black book
There are pros and cons to hitchhiking
there are pros and cons to hitchhiking
oh baby i must be dreaming
i'm standing on the leading edge
the eastern seaboard stretches out before my eyes
"jump" says Yoko Ono
"I am very scared and I am very handsome" I cried
"come on" she says
"why do not you try it?
why prolong the agony, all men must die"
Do you remember Dick Tracy?
Do you remember Shane?
Joey: Y mother loves you
Can you see him selling tickets?
where the circle of the vulture ends
Joey: Shane
the body in the plane
Did you understand the music, Yoko?
Or was it all in vain?
Joey: Shane
the bitch said something mystical "Herro"
so i backed to the sidewalk again
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking
these are the pros and cons of hitchhiking
oh baby i must be dreaming again
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking

​

​

EVERY STRANGER'S EYES

​

Waitress: "Hello...you want a cup of coffee?"
Trucker :"Hey...Turn the fucking Juke Box down"
Waitress: "I'm sorry, would you like a cup of coffee?
Okay, you take cream and sugar? Sure"
In truck stops and hamburger joints
In Cadillac limousines, in the company of has-beens
And bent-backs
And sleeping forms, on pavement steps
In libraries and railway stations
In books and banks
In the pages of history
In suicidal cavalry attacks
I recognize
Myself, in every stranger's eyes
And in wheelchairs, by monuments
Under tube trains and commuter accidents
In council care and county courts
At Easter fairs and seaside resorts
In drawing boards and city morgues
In award winning photographs, of life rafts on the China seas
In transit camps, under arc lamps
On unloading ramps, in faces blurred by rubber stamps
I recognize
Myself, in every stranger's eyes
and now
From where I stand
upon this hill
I plundered from the pool
I look around
I search the skies
I shade my eyes
so nearly blind
And I see signs
Of half remembered days
I hear bells that chime
In strange familiar ways
I recognize
The hope, you kindle in your eyes
It's all so easy now
As we lie here in the dark
Nothing interferes, it's obvious how to beat the tears
That threatens to snuff out the spark of our love

​

Waitress: Hello... do you want a cup of coffee?

Trucker: Hey, turn off the fucking slot machine.
Waitress: Excuse me, would you like a cup of coffee?
ok, do you take it with cream and sugar?
At truck stops and burger joints
in cadillac limousines
in the company of those-who-have-been
and they have returned and sleeping forms
on pavement steps
in libraries and train stations
in books and banks
in the pages of history
in suicide cavalry attacks
I recognize myself...
myself in the eyes of every stranger
And in wheelchairs for monuments
under tube trains and passenger accidents
in council care and county courts
in oriental fairs and seaside resorts
in drawing rooms and city morgues
in award-winning photographs
of life rafts in the China seas
in transit camps, under arc lamps
on unloading ramps
in faces blurred by rubber stamps
I recognize myself...
myself in the eyes of every stranger
And now from where I stand
upon this pool-stricken hill
I look around, I search the skies
I darken my eyes, so almost blind
And I see signs of half-remembered days
I hear the bells chime in strange familiar shapes
I recognize...
the hope that lights up in your eyes
Oh it's so easy now
As we lie here in the dark
nothing interferes, it's obvious
how to fight tears
that threaten to exhale
the spark of our love

​

​

THE MOMENT OF CLARITY

​

Then the moment of clarity
Faded like charity does
Sometimes
I opened one eye
And I put out my hand just to touch your soft hair
To make sure in the darkness that you were still there
And I have to admit
I was just a little afraid
Ooh yeah
But then
I had a little bit of luck
you were awake
I couldn't take another moment alone

​

and the moment of clarity
faded like charity does
sometimes
I open one eye
and I reach out my hand just to touch your soft hair
To make sure in the dark that you're still there
and i have to admit
I was a little scared, oh yeah
but then...
I had a little luck
you were awake
I couldn't stand another moment alone

​

​