The Circling Song

Forget the crawling aliens

That's all you under the skin

You will get out of this on your own

without magic medicine

The vultures are circling, Joni,

immobile in your chair;

the vultures take souvenir snaps 

to say "I was there".

Don't look to gods or astrology

The stars don't know you exist

Everything you are is you 

and everyone you've ever kissed

The vultures are circling, Joni,

hold close but have no doubt,

the vultures will pose with red mouths

and pull your insides out.

Remember the first confinements

Remember every long day 

You can get out of this on your own

get up and walk away 

Pull up your stockings 

get up and walk away 

a house afire

[[ Mystery in death. This is a song about death coming upon someone and how the rest of us can only gather around and watch it happen. Another version would be (will be?) gathering round to say goodbye at the docks when a ship sails. It depends on how one goes, on how disabling and silencing it is. ]]


She got on with death

like a house afire.

She felt the spark inside,

like a new connection,

It was warming, kindling, 

then it caught and poured

from chamber to chamber

until it was done.

She was silent 

looking out through her windows

at the night

She was silent 

looking back at us circled

looking in

Until it was done, 

all we could do 

was stand at a distance,

stand and admire.

She and death got on

like a house afire.