Collected Animals

Tantrum Barb

There on the threshold below to the garden
In front of the rest of the city that ends at the
Banks of the river and stretches back to me and
Holds a square patch of backyard where I’m looking at
Bunches of children, some fixed at their parents,
Take colorful strings draped cross branches of lemon and
Orange emit from the ends of it seem like
A galaxy cupped in a leafy red canopy

And I feel the breezes blow, pushing storms on my arms,
I'm out on the tips of spires, you can stare into the sea


Daily Routine

Just a sec more in my bed
Hope my machine's working right
When it's just precisely tuned
That's how it comes out so nice

Make sure my kid's got a jacket
Keys and coat and shoes and hat
Strap a stroller to my back
Bouncing along every crack

What can I do to make it fast?
Sing a song to pass the playground
What can I do as traffic pass?
Guard my girl from muffler's black gas
What can I do to make it fast?
Pop a jump but not too hard
Take a little left up at the rest
Stop and look at the traffic signal

Up uneven steps and talking's hard

Just a sec more in my bed
Hope my machine's working right


Rosie Oh

As I walked across the bridge
With a backpack cross my shoulder blades
The Everglades below the wooden cracks

You had offered up a ride
So I might not get accosted by
The watery slide

But I said no I’d rather not
Said no I’d rather not step in

As I left my home I cried
And a substituted figure tried
To reconcile the things I'd left behind

You had opened up the doors
And made a place where I could sit inside
And fortify

But I said no I’d rather not
Said no I’d rather not step in

I'm on my own
Now no ones been invested in
How no one knows what's best for him

I'm on my own
When no ones left to light the load
Then so one goes to lift alone

I'd like to embrace it all

Have I made this or is it
That I've been made?


O Please Bring Her Back

Go to sleep sweet child
Push aside your cares
Calm your beating heart
Ease your furrowed brow

O God, please stay here
The night is windy and dark
God, sit by my side
God, stay through the night

Bring her please
Please bring her black

I can't but shut my eyes
Can't but quicken my pulse
Sweat beads on my neck
Tears well in my eyes

Bring her please
Please bring her back

She began my heart a-beatin'
She began my mind a-lovin'
She starts my hands a-feelin'
She's as much of me as I am

Bring her back
O please bring her back


On The Farm

Chores are done
The tractors parked inside the barn
The cows are grazin' in the fields
Horses in their stalls
Ma is cookin' up a meal
That freebirds from the dirt on my hands
It's on my hands

The sores and bumps on my body speak the work that I've done
Such a long day
(On the hard bench there will be long days in our eyes)
It'll be a long day tommorrow
The day is warm in my blue jeans
(Bring the axe down, bring the axe down)
Sittin' up on the crooked fence
(Cool the whole across (?))
Tip my hat to nothin' in particular
Just glad to be so simple


Inside A Great Stadium and Running Race

Gun fires and each and every man digs in
They make a shuffle as each runner gets going on his way
Cheers rise in the stands like water in a glass

Some say "go this guy" and others "go that guy"
Packets going men are jockeying for position
Looking more like a herd of angry horses

Round the first two bends and men are left behind
Arms up and down legs back and forth lane 4 now lane 5 takes the lead

Man down; someones been tripped up
It's clear this man must recieve medical attention
Man down, Man down, Man down

Race goes on lane 2 pushes front
Sweat on the edges each side
Step step step step find a way to get more speed
It's gonna be close


Carrots

That old good boy Mitch just wanted
To tell some jokes
Well now I'm just trying
To play some notes
Do you know what I say
Do you know what I mean?
Have you heard through these words
Just how I'm seen
There's a reason that I work
So hard at this stuff
When all I want to do
Is take it easy

It's not a ticket
For you to pick at
Other people
Who don't know whats up
Like you're so sure you do

You kind of make me want to
Shut your mouth just to keep out
All of those unfriendly feelings
Just because you've got
A lot of wax
And all those first editions
I want you to know
Sticks and stones may
Break my bones
But words will never hurt me
All I need to know
I knew so early

It's so lame that
You could take my feelings
And make yourself feel
Like youre better than
Anyone else who hasn't heard

Listen in between your notes
There's something been going on
While you were busy taking notes
And look in between your moments
Theres something good happening
It's good to sometimes
Slow it down

What's the point in pouring it all out
When you guys just wear it on your coat?
I believe that for this piece of time
We can really crank us up a lot
Get your head out from those mags
And websites who try to
Shape your style
Take a risk just for yourself
And wade into the deep end of the ocean


Surfer's Hymn

When there are hard times I'll step it up
When there are dangerous times I'll spot them up
I'll take my time to make up my own mind
To set it up when the times are calling for a steady decree
How do I know it's time?
Even if I've got mine?
Is it wise to know what wisdom is?
If I could err on every good side every time

Out on the water a rider can ready
Though waves come crashing a good board can steady
I wouldn't ever want to bet upon
The balance on
What's going on
Would I? Would I? Would I? Would I?

Stay what's in my way
What's in my way?
Got to have it to get over it

To have an empty fortune when I fear
To have a deadly weapon as it's called
Which is an answer to a challenge made by anything
Then
To always know just what things violence needs
How do I know its time?
Even if I've got mine?
Is it wise to know what wisdom is?
If I could err on every good side every time

Out on the water a rider can ready
Though waves come crashing a good board can steady
I wouldn't ever want to bet upon
The balance on
What's going on?
Would I? Would I? Would I? Would I?
Why wouldn't I?