the thing that eats you

[[ random stuff from a cowboy movie, extrapolated ]]

it is of course the size that strikes you first and last and always in the west

the big forever lies across the surface where that red star goes to rest

this cloud approaching weighs as much as any locomotive made of steel

you measure empty none by none until the all alone is all you feel

out on the land

working the land

always the land 

working you

I would accompany my pa to town each month before the next full moon

we'd spend the evenings watching dancers clomp the boards and sing at the saloon

the actresses encouraged me to get behind the stage and watch them all

the exits and the entrances were always ready for a curtain call

out on the land

working the land

always the land 

working you

there is no place to hide a body when the wind turns every breath to dust

there is no place to hide a body when the rain clouds fatten up and bust

there is no place to hide a body when the snow begins to pile high

there is no place to hide a body when the sun returns to bake it dry

he said he saw the story of his life roll through the inside of his mind

then called out to a horse he used to have like he had somewhere else to find

but he had nowhere all before him stretched out in the dying of the sun

the thing that eats you when it eats you is of course the thing you left undone

out on the land

working the land

always the land 

working you

there is no place to hide a body when the wind turns every breath to dust

there is no place to hide a body when the rain clouds fatten up and bust

there is no place to hide a body when the snow begins to pile high

there is no place to hide a body when the sun returns to bake it dry

intentional love song 18: if they come for us

if they come for us, honey, we'll run 

we will wish ourselves 

into existence, 

we will wish ourselves 

far, far away

listen for thunder, 

count off the seconds,

wait for the falling rain

hurry the two of us 

up to the hilltop 

try to catch lightning again

when are you coming down?

I see your eyes when 

I close my eyes

clouded like summer could rain

I see your eyes when 

I close my eyes

sunlight will not come again

when are you coming down, darling?

summer is fading away

autumn is whirling in dark clouds of starling  

loving is only today

when are you coming down, darling, my darling?

summer is fading away

Imagined Geography 3: Oklahoma Song

Have you seen the sky 

open over the plain?

One minute, soft moonlight,

then thunder and rain.

Have you seen the sky 

come to swallow you whole?

I have seen a town vanish

soul by soul by soul.

Have you seen what God thinks
of an Oklahoma town?

I have heard God roar

and then swat one down.

Have you seen the sky 

open over the plain?

One minute of dying,

then clear sky again.

to capture our gods

to capture our gods

catch them in motion

drawing on walls

living on the threshold

waiting for rain

wishing the rain away

waiting for rain

cats in the corridor

always wanting in

and out again

always wanting in and out

to capture our gods

catch them in motion

banging out sound 

living by owl-light

waiting for sun

wishing the sun away

waiting for sun

cats in the corridor

always wanting in

and out again

always wanting in and out

to capture our gods

catch them in motion

wearing new faces

living by hoax

waiting for moonrise

wishing the moon away

waiting for moonrise

cast in the corridor

always wanting in

and out again

always wanting in and out

an evening of possibilities

[[ from a photo I saw -- New York City, 1943, with signs as described in the verses. This should be big band, jazz, a dance number in an old movie.  ]]

[[bridge, chorus, and other repetitive apparatus]]

night!

night is coming

night is coming on

night is coming on for us all

this is an evening

of possibilities,

my friend

rain!

rain is falling

rain may stop right now

rain may fall forever on us all

we could go down

to the subway

where the parallel
rails never meet

we could walk on

in the rain

where the universe

shines in the street

let's share an umbrella

[[verse 1]]

See that sign?

"Johnnie Walker",

three stories high.

We could go buy

Johnnie Walker

and drink it tonight.

Three stories high,

my friend.

[[verse 2]]

See that sign?

"Saludos, Amigos"

on the marquee?

We could watch

the dancing alpaca,

we could snort

at 'Lake Titicaca',

my friend.

[[verse 3]]

See that sign?

"The Human Comedy"

larger than life.

we could enjoy

the Human Comedy

I can't promise you

Andy Hardy tonight,

my friend.

intentional love song 9: I've seen this movie

I've seen this movie

I know how it ends

the leading man leaves her

for one of her friends

some actor pretends

to be a regular guy

pretending he's faithful

and thinking he's sly

think I'll leave before the rain

I've seen this movie

and nobody dies

it's not that kind of movie

she just cries

she just cries

yeah, this is the part where she cries

he tries to convince her

it's all in her brain

I think I'll leave before

she thinks she's insane

I've seen this movie

I know how it goes

if I leave before the end

watch your toes

maybe I can beat the rain

I've seen this movie

and nobody dies

it's not that kind of movie

she just cries

she just cries

yeah, this is the part where she cries

climb the dark stairs

what's this bubbling 

up in my blood?

what's steaming

under the hood?

mother in the garden

fire in the kitchen 

mother in the garden

fire again

put down the pony 

frogs in the basement

neighbors on the party line

frogs in the well

lights in the drive

blue, red, and turning 

mother in the garden

something is burning

under the car at night

holding a torch for father

smell of spilled gasoline

orange of cigarette

smoke up the chimney

the game on teevee

twisting the aerial

pictures of snow

caught in the thunder

running in the rain 

wet camera jolting 

and jolting and jolting 

stories to 

sleep on

the dark and 

the bells

Nancy, Sikes,

Silver, Kim,

shipwrecked and 

kidnapped

and

climb the dark stairs

tempest and midsummer

salt and vinegar

the Russians in winter

alone in the woods

under the car at night

holding a torch for father

smell of spilled gasoline

orange of cigarette

mother in the garden

fire in the kitchen 

mother in the garden

fire again

stories to sleep on

climb the dark stairs