That Sinking, Silver Moon - LP (2023)

Nicotine Dreams

My nicotine dreams feel far away

When I reach out to touch the dusk

Masking a Holocene and taking all our batteries

Will leave you blind and in the dusk

Our heroes are just strangers

Battling an open wound

My empty notebook pages

Blood curdled scream in an empty room

Oh, my nicotine dreams

Our days of feeling blameless

Are crashing down to crush our ghosts

These fierce yet subtle changes

A nest inside a trojan horse

The markings on our faces

Our written civil stages, cutting through

The massive gaps in ages

Bent between some barroom stool

Oh, my nicotine dreams

Can’t Go Back

I just, I just can’t go back

I’m sitting here all alone

The shades are drawn, and my eyes are closed

Cause my heart is somewhere on the road

I just, I just can’t go back

Cause the wind don’t blow my way anymore

The air is cold, and I can’t feel my nose

Might as well just cut that cord

So cut that cord boy

Make it good and quick

Won’t be long now ‘til you bleed

Take your anger and wish it well

It won’t be needing you anymore

I just, I just can’t go back

Cause my legs won’t carry me anymore

The sun stands still on that lonely hill

And somewhere a perfect set of blue eyes are born

So cut that cord boy

Make it good and quick

Won’t be long now ‘til you bleed

Take your anger and wish it well

It won’t be needing you anymore

Ghosts of Our Fathers

How did we know when it was time to quit?

Where did we go before the morning hit?

The friends that we’ve known have lent their tenderness

No lengthy repose, or quiet youthfulness

Where do we stand on our worst days?

Where will we land when our debts are paid?

The marks on our hands lead us the worst ways

To the ghosts of our fathers, and our mistakes

Who can we trust when the lights go out?

Why do we lust when our ink runs south?

At times we were free, but we made our choice

Of diamonds and dreams, and a growing voice

Where do we stand on our worst days?

Where will we land when our debts are paid?

The marks on our hands lead us the worst ways

To the ghosts of our fathers, and our mistakes

That Sinking, Silver Moon

That sinking, silver moon

How it bites me in the eyes

And as if I had a chance

It’s left heavy on my mind

I’ll chase it to the end

Of waters black and blue

And if that ever ends

I’ll be coming home to you

Books and birds and bones

All covered in the night

Fading into darkness

Concealed in black and white

I’d give myself a chance

If you gave it back to me

Cause I can taste your beating heart

In the rhythm of the trees

That sinking, silver moon

How it dances with the leaves

Beaming tall and proud and full

Through the empty ocean breeze

How you left me begging “please”

My aching stomach’s full

And I’ve weakened at the knees

As the air begins to cool

The sinking moon begins to see

It’s our love that sets us free

San Francisco

Sweet Louise, where you gonna go?

Winter came, now it’s already gone

Famous paintings hang up on your wall

Won’t your babies crawl across the lawn?

Your window’s open

Now all the mice can hear

Pleasant memories

Soft upon their ears

San Francisco, how’d you die so fast?

Inspiration dies out with the past

Foreign objects seem to me so close

Falling in the rhythm of the west coast

City Lights

Keep our blood alive

In the wars of our money

And our time

A Quick Trip to L.A.

Jump out of bed

Dust off your rope

Wipe the blood off your head

Take a nice long toke

Let the sawdust

Coming up from the cracks in the floorboards

Burn your eyes

What happened last night?

Where did you go?

Was there a big, long fight?

Did the bourbon flow?

Did Rocky Raccoon and his bandits

Put their boots up

On the tables of the old saloon?

There’s a bloodlust moon

And a sun on the rise

Snake bitten fool

Can’t swallow your pride

Laid down your Smith & Wesson

When you found those bullet holes

In your front door

She ain’t coming home

And that’s one truth you can’t ignore

Blood on your hands

Lust on your mind

Head in the sand

Just a little moonshine

And you’re running from the sheriff

For the last time

With a bounty on your head

You could beg your girl for mercy

But she’s already dead

January

January, in your eyes

Tell us all we must pick sides

Who is wrong, and who is right?

Brother, I’ve gone blind

Sirens blaring in the night

Trauma flourishes in fright

Save a life, but let one die

Who is wrong, and who is right?

How long can I take this?

How long can I care?

Too long it’s been thankless

Too long, a life impaired

Let the chemicals subside

Buy yourself a new divide

Who is wrong, and who is right?

Who is wrong, and who is right?

Southern Man, Pt. II

From a misfit corner

On the edge of the border

A town called Bishop was born

The redbone mountains

And the mothers who counted

The ways their sons would take form

Their fathers’ whiskey

The lack of a penny

The only choice was war

Those megachurches

Their crosses burning

A ruminating storm

But all good boys must learn

That heritage is earned

The southern man must see

That he’s got an enemy

To burn

A separate notion

And an equal devotion

The ignorance of a loan

Those rival burdens

Their bootheels turning

A throat gets crushed at the bone

But all good boys must learn

That heritage is earned

The southern man must see

That he’s got an enemy

To burn

To the Mountain

I brandished my weapons for all men to see

Raised them tall and proud until my arms fell numb

At some point it was clear that the joke was on me

For no one had even batted an eye

So I sharpened those weapons until I began to bleed

And wrung out the bloody towel over a tin bucket

Took off for the country of grey urns and steeds

Cast out all heroes, cursed out all pagans

Sure I miss my mother

Sure I miss my friends

But there’s a world out there

And I’m still on the mend

Cause one day you’ll be gone

Will you leave with a flourish

Make haste, linger on

But some of us just whither

Fall putrid, dumb and bored

But life ain’t worth living

If you were never really born

The journey was tameless

And I suffered through dreams

The wind had awakened the boy

Who I had watched die in a cold, empty street

But I crawled to the mountain

As he cursed and threw stones

Kicked my ribs ‘til they caved in

But I just sang him songs

Cause one day you’ll be gone

Will you leave with a flourish

Make haste, linger on

But some of us just whither

Fall putrid, dumb and bored

But life ain’t worth living

If you were never really born

At the top of the mountain

Lived a creature half lion, half man

He looked weathered and beaten

And I challenged him to stand

But his spirit was broken

And his eyes were shallow and true

I asked him a question

“Do I know something too?”

Cause one day you’ll be gone

Will you leave with a flourish

Make haste, linger on

But some of us just whither

Fall putrid, dumb and bored

But life ain’t worth living

If you were never really born

Forgiveness

When you wake up

And you just can’t breathe

And the world is

Crumbling beneath your feet

Even your windows

Won’t let you see

From the misty morning

To the trees

You’ve still got me

Come to bed now

And close your eyes

Let me rest my

Head upon your thighs

Leave the world that’s

Killing you behind

Destruction is a

Tale as old as time

We’ll survive

Having a weakness

Doesn’t make you weak

Finding forgiveness

Can help to stop the bleed

A simple sickness

Can take away your peace

I’ll be your witness

Your chemical release

My masterpiece

Free Verse

Where will we be

When the day comes

To judge our secrets

And rip us all from the womb

Will you be chasing

Dogs and maybe

Writing free verse

Under the light of the moon

Let’s buy those candles

Fix the barn up

And plant our garden

This may just all be over soon

Harvest your honey

Smack your lips and

Hum with heartache

Time ticks but it does not assume

It just bends

And fucks us all

Until we’re dumb

And broken in our heads

Submerged beneath

A rope and wire

Hangs above

Our teeth

The teeth that bleed

In the night

And his rivals on trapeze

I’ll bend the knee

The blood and body

Are just that and

There are no answers

So live your life before you rot

Meet your maker

Fuck the laundry

Grow your beard and

Pretend you can go home

Dark - EP (2022)

Intro

Welcome to insanity

A pandemic, a break from reality

We're all panicked, and wishing we could find the key

A way out, salvation from the enemy

Man these days are strange

I feel like my brain's stuck in a steel cage

Stored away, filled with rage

Unable to comprehend the ends to which our current predicament will lead us into

A filthy mess inside a maze

Every day starts the like the last

Wake up in a cube of glass

Sit in front of a screen until the past becomes a longing

A place of refuge, a world inside our world

Outside OUR world, never to be touched again

Because this upending is bringing us back down to earth

Not the world, that world is gone

And we all need to find a way to carry on

To breathe and adapt, pull out a new map

That's shining bright, giving us new light

A new end in sight

Music is often misguided

Plighted by the idea that certain sounds are restrictive

Set for one set of humans while the others merely listen

But today we're branching out into an abyss

So amiss and sunkissed that the rules no longer matter

Let's start the chatter

I could write folk songs all day

But that won't pay

Its a way to feel ashamed

To look and blame

Point a finger at the sky for your downtrodden ways

It's time to light the flame, to play the game

And rid my soul of its shameless pain

This landscape is ours to make

Let's facilitate its growth and change

Admonish the days of repetition, of foolish ambition

While the horizon sighs

Maybe even despises us for not opening our eyes

And forging the ties that make us singular

Able and capable of running the ringer

Everyone's a singer if they want to be

And at the end of the day, what could be clearer?

There's no fear here

This is an album born from boredom

That will be listened to post mortem

And damn it feels good to be here

Rosie (lyrics by Jackson Browne)

She was standing at the load in when the trucks rolled up

She was sniffing all around like a half-grown female pup

She wasn’t hard to talk to, looked like she had nowhere to go

So I gave her a pass so she could get in and see the show

Well, I sat her down right next to me and I got her a beer

While I mixed that sound on stage so the band could hear

The more I watched her watch them play, the less I thought of to say

And when they walked off stage, the drummer swept that girl away

But Rosie you’re all right, you wear my ring

When you hold me tight, Rosie, that’s my thing

When you turn out the light, I got to hand it to me

Looks like its me and you again tonight, Rosie

Well, I guess I might have known from the start, she’d come for a star

Could have told my imagination not to run too far

Of all the times that I’ve been burned, by now, you’d think I’d have learned

That it’s who you look like, not who you are

What Say Thou, Captain?

What say thou, Captain?

Did you lose control?

Did you bottom out?

Are you at the end of your rope?

What say thou, Captain?

Have you lost your mind?

Did the endless sea

Make your eyes go blind?

What say thou, Captain?

Have a word for the poor?

You can’t hang a wreath

When the ocean’s your door

What say thou, Captain?

Do you miss your wife?

Was it worth all the pain

For a loveless life?

What say thou, Captain?

Have you pissed your pants?

Has the storm come through?

Did it make you dance?

What say thou, Captain?

Ah, the end is near

Better drop a trap

Before you shed a tear

Dark

I’m a fool cause I saw love when it was dark

And still confused cause I can only see your heart

Now its over and I’m left here bleeding hard

And you don’t give a damn that we’re apart

Outro

Visions of the apocalypse

That’s what we’re supposed to see when we revisit our pasts

But maybe it wasn’t all that bad

Maybe muddy waters are fodder for bigger dreams

No point in crossing a clear river if you already know what’s on the other side

Time is a magician

It can stand still on its head if it so chooses

And it can blaze through eons like a comet out of hell when its bored

Our books aren’t meant to be re-written

Nor taken out of circulation

They’re meant for re-releases and new editions

Maybe the apocalypse of yester-year wasn’t apocalyptic after all

Doesn’t mean it didn’t happen

But we’re still here

The ghosts of ourselves haunt us all

And that will never end

But its okay to invite them in for tea and crackers

And its alright to let them talk

Listen good

They may just have some wisdom to share with this perfect new version of yourself

Winter House - demos (2020)

Half A Life

Lazy morning, hazy faze

There’s no warning on this crazy page

I’m gonna have to try

To make the most of this half a life

Wishing I could count the days

That have flown on by, but it’s not the same

I’m gonna have to try

To make the most of this half a life

Years ago, maybe yesterday

I saw this life in more than shades of grey

I didn’t have to try

To make the most of this half a life

The seas were calm, and the seasons came

But now they all just feel the same

I’m gonna have to try

To make the most of this half a life

But when will I become my own?

And find a place to call my home?

There’s just too much waiting for me on the other side

Now that I have bled and grown

Shouldn’t I already know

That the grass is always greener on the other side?

I’ll try

Wishful thinking always turns into

Hopes and dreams that just crash and burn

I’m gonna have to try

To make the most of this half a life

And even though I always say

I wish I could take back yesterday

There are still things that keep me running towards tomorrow

It’s you my dear who makes me stay

You’re the one who makes my every day

You’re everything I could ever ask for

So darling when I’m dead and gone

I need you to just please hold on

And know in your heart that I will always love you

So baby don’t forget to smile

You’ll only miss me for a while

And I’ll be waiting for you on the other side

Winter House

Murky water won’t shake this winter house

A silent laughter won’t wake the gentle mouse

Louise is lying on the oaken floor

The cat is crying, shaking by the cellar door

A pint of bourbon rushes through her ripened pores

The words have left her, now a ghost is here to stay

My, how your reasons have changed

My, how we all remain the same

The days grew colder, the nights grew tired and mild

A letter reached her, written by her bastard child

“Mother I might find myself dead today”

Two days later she heard a knockin’ at her door

The men of honor presented her with deep remorse

A purple medal, and a flag stained by blood and lies

My, how your reasons have changed

My, how we all remain the same

The bottle called her, whispering “I can soothe your pain”

The pills assured her, for this her god was sure to blame

Her lifeless body now tamed that oaken floor

The seagulls drew near, mimicking her angel wings

The hills bemoaned her nonexistent wedding ring

She heard a knocking, now two ghosts are here to stay

My, how your reasons have changed

My, how we all remain the same

Camden Yards

I lost myself last Friday night

When you spoke to me, and I couldn’t shake your eyes

I was hypnotized, almost lost my mind

And in the moment I didn’t even think to try

You were standing there with your pretty hair

And I never knew that someone could be so sweet

It was long past nine, I was pressed for time

And I’m not sure of the next time we will meet

So ride along, with me

Ride along, and let me show you my world

Come with me, and we’ll fly away

Come with me, and we’ll build a life along the way

I know that this all might sound strange

But I’m just a boy, smitten by a beautiful girl at the end of the day

If you’re tired or bored, we’ll go to Baltimore

And catch a ballgame down at Camden Yards

Want to see a show? We’ll go to Chicago

But you need to know that you already have my heart

If you’re feeling blue, we’ll go to the Bronx Zoo

And I’ll hold you until a smile creeps on your face

If I see you cry, we’ll go to LBI

And watch the sun set far beyond the waves

Stain

I’m poor, so damn poor

Got no idea where I’m going anymore

Now I’m sore, and so damn poor

All I’ve got is my cigarettes and the note that she left on the door

But what’s a home?

And what is it for?

What good will it do you when you’re crying on the floor?

There comes a time

When all your friends have died

When you’ll ash out those cigarettes in your eyes so you won’t cry

And what’s a name?

But a card in your deck of shame

Would it help you to know that your smile is just a stain

Let’s mend the past

Fuck all the lies you have amassed

Begin to acknowledge that we’re nothing but a shadow enslaved once its’ cast

I’m still poor, still so damn poor

Still got no idea where I’m going anymore

Still sore, still so damn poor

All I’ve got is those cigarettes and that note that she left on the door

What’s a lie

But just a means to get by?

Where there’s heart there’s still blood and bones for the vultures to pick and pry

When’s the end?

We’ve been awaiting, begging for it to commence

Will it fill all our voids and our woes or just tie us to a rusty fence

And strip us bare, kick out our teeth, rip out our hair?

If it does, then we’ll know we were home all along in the cancerous air

I’m poor, so damn poor

Got no idea where I’m going anymore

Jacki’s Song

Something’s happening

Man, I don’t really know

But I’m losing my mind

Cause I can’t let you go

I stir in my sleep

And I can’t catch my breath

Cause every moment without you

Brings me a little closer to death

How did you find me

When I was so far gone?
Cause I’m dumb, I’m blind, and I’m weak

But baby when I’m with you I feel strong

When my mountain is high

And your valley is low

Take a little look in my eyes

And you’ll see that no one is home

Everyday I’m reminded that I can exist in this place we call home

And I will spend the rest of my life making sure you never ever go it alone

You my love

You my soul

You my heart

You my poem

If I could feel your breath

If I could touch your cheeks

If I could lick all your wounds

If I could watch you fall asleep

If I could feel your hair

If I could smell your clothes

If I could kiss your neck

I wouldn’t need to write this song

Castle

Oh, my father built a castle on the east side

And when I was a kid I though one day it would be all mine

But I was young and had no concept of a real life

Just wishful thinker in the midst of a bullet fight

And you’d think at twenty-three I’d learn to realize

That there’s no getting lucky

We’re all just pretending to be alright

So when you came to me that evening off your train ride

At the height of New York City

How could I have ever been so blind

I have been weak from the start

Often selfish, drinking hard

But I’m still just a kid

And I couldn’t see that far

This isn’t a goodbye letter

No it isn’t a desperate cry

I am happy you have another to marry

Wish I could say so do I

All those songs that you had told me we would live by

I’ve been playing alone

No I just can’t seem to help myself

And this pain became a phrase that I can live by

Be good to yourself

Don’t trust the words of a broken girl

This isn’t a condemnation

And I harbor no blame

But I’ll tell you right now, you could’ve done better

You built me a castle, you could’ve stayed

Shoe Soles

Feel the gravel under the soles of your shoes

Does it aid, or does it only seek to confuse?

You thought you had one, but now you’re seeing two

A loaded gun, and now it’s time to choose

When the stars aligned, they cried and broke our hearts

But without that pain we’d be living worlds apart

And now I see that we were steaming from the start

And it feels as though I’ve stolen a piece of priceless art, so

Fall for me

Default to me

Resolve for me

Evolve to me

The most frightening path is the one that hits you hard

Its rivers are frozen, it’s prairies burned and charred

But by the time that you reach its farthest yard

You’ll find violets and roses, and a place to park your heart, so

Fall for me

Default to me

Resolve for me

Evolve to me

Feel the gravel under the soles of your shoes

Does it aid, or does it only seek to confuse?

You thought you had one, but now you’re seeing two

A loaded gun, and now it’s time to choose

Without You

Twenty hours is far too long

I’ve been playing this same old song

Looking sideways at the empty lawn

Oh my baby, I can’t be strong

Without you

I was waiting for a great blue sea

She was standing right next to me

Picking cherries and smoking weed

Oh my baby, how am I supposed to be

Without you?

This old space ain’t the same

Used to love it when you’d call the rain

Now all I can do is walk away

Walk a mile of this endless pain

Living easy is always hard

My convictions left you burnt and scarred

Now your silence fills this empty yard

A drip of morphine and a breath of tar

Without you

Nothing Worth Having Comes Easy

Honey listen now, I know you’re a little scared

I spoke my mind and I know that might be unfair

But I’ve been listening to the voice in my soul

And he feels empty knowing you’re out there all alone

Honey listen know, I won’t say that things will be easy

But that’s how life goes, whether in Boston or New York City

So find a way

To break open the gates

Cause I’m awake

And it feels so great

Timing’s tricky, and so is love

But you and I fit just like a glove

Yeah we’re still young, but I can’t stand

Another moment without your hand

So trust me when I say “you’re my best friend”

And sure that’s scary, but don’t forget

There’s no better crowd than you and me

And nothing worth having comes easy

Three Days, No Food

Hey there, beautiful girl

Kissing all the boys inside your beautiful world

Dancing with the one who gave you pearls

You’re the girl that never cries

Never been in a fight

You’re an incandescent savior in the prime of your life

Drinkin’ and a-thinkin’ “why can’t I

Be the one that learns to fly?”

These days you’re waiting for change

Wishing mom and dad would start to give you some praise

But your sister’s got straight A’s, just got a raise

And they won’t even bat an eye

Never been to a show

You begged and pleaded for a month, but your boyfriend wouldn’t go

He’s too busy in his frat house getting drunk

And ripping lines of fine cocaine

So when will you learn

That your bad luck won’t turn

And you’ll continue to burn until you run away

No, don’t hold your breath

Realize the next step

Move on, do your best, and start brand new today

You woke up, hopped on a train

Straight to Pensacola, so you slept while it rained

And woke up just in time to catch a glimpse

Of the Everglades

You went out, looking for a job

Wishing you had the guts to find a place you could rob

But instead you got rejected

Every store turned you away

Twelve days in a hotel

Your money running short, you curse your parents to hell

You’d love to ask for more

But then you’d just be a slave

Three days now without food

And the club across the street is staring right back at you

The high school prude is getting nude for tips

And dancing the night away

Hey there, beautiful girl

Dancing for the men that need a break from their world

Whispering in their ears, bringing them beers

Until you get paid

You go out, you’ve made some new friends

The difference is this time they won’t be driving a Benz

On their own they have to fend

Just living day by day

And like that, the money comes in

No more debating and awaiting for your life to begin

Forget your sins, pick up your chin

And dance the night away

In this life, we fall and we learn

We grow and find ourselves through the stripes that we earn

And you my friend have earned the right to go to bed

With a smile on your face

So when will you learn

That your bad luck won’t turn

And you’ll continue to burn until you run away

No don’t hold your breath

Realize the next step

Move on, do your best and start brand new today

Dear Sam Beam

I have seen my father fall

He was seeding his garden about a mile from home

I have seen my brother fail

He was tempted and thrown, afraid to be alone

I have seen my mother cry

She was restless with misery, too frail to have known

I have seen my sister eat

All her hunger and youthfulness stripped by the sea

Seen a drunken, homeless man

His pants soaked with urine, a cup in his hand

Seen a widow lose her mind

She was lonely for love, while her son sailed through nothing

Seen crow-birds in the alley

Picking at a fat cat, not dead yet

Seen a stranger fight a seagull

It had taken his ring, beat it dead while he screamed

Seen my lovers come and go

They were happy for a time, but then felt the wind blow

Seen my struggles find their home

In a bottle they fell, drinking from the great well

Seen my efforts to start healing

Misguided by the wine, misshapen by time

Seen my honesty whither

It was stolen and robbed while I searched for a love

Seen my final search for hope

Lose its rhythm and shake free from my bones

Seen my nameless vengeful ghosts

And their tempered mistakes taking their throne

Seen my children not yet born

Trying hard to look strong while their daddy was gone

Seen my younger shameless self

And his vision of a family, his pride still standing on two feet

Cigarettes

I smoke cigarettes when I’m sad

When I feel like there’s no direction home

When I care so little about myself

When I feel like the only thing that can save me is someone else

It makes me feel like I have some control

At least over my decisions and the places I’ll go

So who cares if it ravages my body

Just so long as I’m the ones who allows it to do so

Our feelings are just that

And our lungs know so much more

That what we can’t be in the morning

A little smoke can help us mourn

I smoke cigarettes when I’m nervous

And afraid of all the things that I can be

When my skin peels off my body

And people can see what’s underneath

They help me wish away the place

Where I always thought I’d die

Making jokes just to fit in

Making some lonely kid cry

But my past is just that

Some broken lullaby

Just a kid afraid to be alone

With his thoughts and poisoned mind

And so he smokes cigarettes

Cause there’s no one by his side

And the brave one’s who have learned his name

Have been punished just for trying

Georgia

Georgia, please sing to me

Just the way you did when we were seventeen

My head’s a-hurtin’, and I can’t seem to fall asleep

Georgia, please sing to me

Been so many years since you last called my name

By the barnyard where my daddy shot his face
Your kiss was frightening, and I just never felt the same

Georgia, please sing to me

Tell me does your hair still fall over your eyes?

And did you find that bridge we saw in the New York Times?

Do you children blush like you do when you cry?

Georgia, please sing to me

I saw Ms. Parker outside that church by the pear trees

Remember how she’d curse and yell at us to leave?

But you’d just laugh and grab my hand ‘til we were both free

Georgia, please sing to me

Georgia, please sing to me

Just the way you did when we were seventeen

My head’s a-hurtin’, and I can’t seem to fall asleep

Georgia, please sing to me

Whiskey Girl

Three A.M., drunk on wine

Making space for just a little more time

And I can see across from me a whole new world

Yeah she’s a whiskey girl, and she’s waiting there for me

Bright red hair, clear blue eyes

Lips and bottom make a grown man cry

I can’t stand, but baby take my hand and teach me how to dance

Yeah she’s a whiskey girl, and she’s coming home with me

Now I’m not afraid, and I’m not tired

But damn this girl, she’s got a whole lot of fire

She might bite and she might sting, but oh my lord she taught me how to sing

Yeah she’s a whiskey girl, and she’s got me on my knees

And if she sticks around, you can tell the whole damn town

That I’ll be listening to the sound with my baby

Now all good things come to an end

And just my luck she found another man

Eight feet tall, plays a baby grand, moved to town with his six-piece band

She’s a whiskey girl, and I still can feel her breathe

And if I say I’m fine, I’m about to cry

Cause these old eyes have had a real tough time

Don’t be fooled by my acting cool

Cause this old broad gave me a whole lot of fuel

Wish me well, I’m going straight to hell

Once I watch her lover die

Out at Sea - LP (2018)

Sideways

Wishing sideways you were born

But you’re right side up

And man, that’s tough

When you’ve spent every penny wishing

That there’d be nothing left but living to do

Watching freight cars in the haze

Cause you can’t go home

Left town long ago

And now you live up by the city

Man, it must be a pity to be you

Smoking Camels in the cold

Itching for a Marlboro

And maybe you’ll be fine, you know?

But it’s no wonder she was taken

Don’t be mistaken, you had waited too long

To tell her why she should stay

And fix the live you’d made

Yeah, fix the life she gave

To you

Punching windows ‘til you bleed

And they don’t talk back

Yeah, they just spit out facts

About Chevy Monte Carlos

And where the sunken river still flows

Reading books from right to left

Dylan Thomas is dead

And yet it still makes sense

That every time you turn a page

That rage you feel inside you is engaged

Mirror, mirror on the wall

Why can’t I have it all

Why must I be so small

When every single lucid vision I have

Just turns into another reason to call

Yesterday

Yesterday, I was blind in a hole

Yesterday, I was shining in gold

Then the wind blew, I was drunk and on my own

In the rearview, was the writing on my tomb

Four more steps, ‘til I fall off the ledge

One more debt, ‘til I kiss my brother dead

Free falling, on a ship without a name

I’ve been drinking, but in the end its all the same

Feed me, with the temper of your breath

Need me, let my body be your vest

Feel the rhythm, of my whispers in your bones

Lord have mercy, who needs god when I’ve got you doll

This is my story, and it’s something I can’t trace

And though I’m lonely, what keeps me going is your face

I’m ashamed love, of the shit I put you through

But I’m here to promise, in time I’ll make it up to you

Out at Sea

I once dreamt that I lived out at sea

Watching waves crash on rocks

Filled my belly with seaweed

Counted stars from the docks

The blue water, she rippled

So effortless, so sweet

The abyss was my kingdom

Never looked down at my feed

I once dreamt I had taken a lover

She was bursting with sin

She challenged my wisdom

She could curse with a grin

I was teeming with envy

Yet I never saw her face

When she handed me whiskey

I had lost all my taste

I now dream that I live in a memory

Shaping clay with my elbows, not hands

And I can be happy

With just a bucket of sand

In the heat of the dead of the winter,

In the shoes of a ghost in a cloak

I gave speeches to men in tall buildings

Then I realized, I never spoke

Just Cause We Dream

Just cause we dream when we’re asleep

Doesn’t mean we’re not aware

Just cause a soldier holds a gum,

Doesn’t mean he isn’t scared

Fuel is fire without the flame

Yet somehow still it finds a home

And as the jester starts his dance

The king still finds himself alone

My condolences to death

Our aspirations ran aground

Thought you were free when you were lost

Now face the horror once you’re found

Long, Lonesome Road

I’ve been walking down that long, lonesome road

I’ve been walking down that long, lonesome road

It’s the very same one from that sixties Dylan song

I’ve been walking down that long, lonesome road

I’ve been kicking up the gravel with my boots

The moon she’s shining bright, keeping the truth

That our days are dead and gone, somehow our bodies linger on

I’ve been kicking up the gravel with my boots

My momma says that good things come to those who wait

But I’d rather drink a pint and tempt my fate

See, I was born a dead man’s son, lord knows I like to have my fun

Momma says that good things come to those who wait

Now the Devil’s got a noose around my neck

And he’s trying awfully hard to do his best

But he’s screaming at his son, who took the safety off the gun

The Devil’s got a noose around my neck

So I whispered in his ear, “boy, let me free”

He said, “son, you know that choice ain’t up to me”

“Shoulda fixed your momma’s car, but you were sitting at the bar”

I whispered in his ear “boy, let me free”

I’ve been walking down that long, lonesome road

And this guitar, she just keeps cracking in the cold

So if that means that I can’t play, you’ll have to bury me today

I’ve been walking down that long, lonesome road

Meaghan

Meaghan, running down the pavement

Feeding birds in cages, in the third grade

But now I haven’t, heard your name in ages

Been through so many stages, of health and misery

Meaghan, thought you’d be courageous

But now you’re in the back pages with the OB’s

So why’d you choose, the hole and bruise

Over a breath, that was your

Blaming, cursing the heavens for their taking

Of sons and daughters, now they’re breaking, choosing a casket and a grave

Mother and father, should they really even bother

Making amends with one another, if their child can’t be saved

Meaghan, where was your head, what we’re you thinking

When you were sinking, towards the bats and the bees

Now your brother, has no guardian to cover

He and his cursed lover, but you’ll be waiting at the gates

Jacki

I miss you, and I wish you were here

I spend my days now, pretending I’m not scared

But the truth is, every second that goes by

Without hearing your voice, is like a dagger in my side

And that’s how I know, that this is worth the wait

Cause this love that I feel, there’s no movie they can make

Jacki my baby, you’re the one

I sit at a desk for most of my day

Moving other peoples’ money to make sure I get paid

And I hate every day that I sold my soul

But I don’t give a damn, knowing one day you’ll be there when I come home

You are the only thing that matters

You are the only thing that breathes

Just one look in your eyes and I’m shattered

Lay my head on your chest and I can fall asleep

1955

Watching our days pass us by

Tripping on cloud fields, swimming in the sky

What’ll it take until we wonder why

The ground below is burning, our children left to die

The land of the free, but nowhere’s safe

The black man and his family spend every minute chased

By his neighbors who claim that they don’t see race

Policeman gets a call and puts a bullet in his face

Here’s to our brothers practicing Islam

And the courage you show every day by just keeping on

If it becomes illegal we’ll say FUCK the law

The Christians are the ones who killed for far too long

Our children go to war and they don’t come back

And even if they do, we seem to leave them in the past

Let’s not forget our president, who dodged the draft

He was too busy with his daddy breaking black folks’ backs

Why do god fearing white men have so much to say

Mike Pence wants to hang you if you’re not straight

And to make sure women can’t control their own bodies

Welcome to 1955, god bless the USA

All the good little children, pledge allegiance to the flag

Women can’t get through the day without being attacked

And told that it happened because of the way they act

And if they don’t keep silent, they’re a liar and a tramp

Amendment two is sacred, so we must obey

Who needs mental healthcare when you can just play

With all the guns you want, and at the end of the day

They’ll say you shot the kids because you were crazy

Furious and Stoned

My, my, where’d you go

Off to a place that I don’t know

Out in the garden, they’re trading blows

A piece of us was buried beneath your mother’s bones

Bloody Mary, you’re much too late

The weeping willow by our front door has sealed its fate

I’ll pretend that I’m doing great

A beggar’s words, as good as gold, for what’s at stake

I’ve been trying to stay awake

Ripping and roaring, we’ll never be the same

I’ve been trying to come back home

I want to come home

I want to come home

Trading lies was a mistake

Foolish figures surround us now, there’s no mistake

I have done what I can to break

The mold that makes us realize our sheepish ways

I’ve been dying, furious and stoned

Creeping and crawling, on a murderer’s row

I’ve been dying to come back home

I want to come home

I want to come home

This is not our front door

Like Waves

Look up my love

Be mindful, of what you touch

This night is on the run

And I’m not sure what’s begun

But you’re so damn beautiful

I’m all eyes and ears

Set aside your deepest, darkest fears

Forget about your mother’s tears

In a moment, we’ll disappear

And you’re so damn beautiful

I just can’t wait

Yet your echoes are growing faint

Take a deep breath, and feel the weight

As our bodies crash down like waves

You’re so damn beautiful

deep in dust - EP (2018)

take it with you

And it was endless

In the yard there were birds

And the columns and corners

of our house fell free

Books became worms

in the ground

And Jupiter danced around

the whirling sea

Two times she said to me

"be gone and take it with you"

But my boots remain roots

cemented to...

deep in dust

Sweet jet planes

flying over crows

leaving us exposed

to winter

Blue curtains

hang above our door

shamelessly ignored

and dead

My child

is a silver spoon

stuck inside a womb

forgiven

Grandmother

whisper in my ear

have another beer

and delay

Old photos

buried deep in dust

oh who can we trust

without asking

jackie wilson's dead

Snapper fishing on that old lagoon

Maybe play a little Van Morrison tune

I've been free for three long years

But these stories never dissappear

I played baseball until it was dusk

My wife and children always seem to make a fuss

And the end of Autumn brings us closer to

Our quaking bodies fierce in the light of the moon

So why don't we flow into the mystic with a back-river song?

Even our homeland can't seem to make sense of what here's gone wrong.

Maybe Jackie Wilson is hiding an answer she's unwilling to share.

I'd let it stone me straight to my soul if it meant we'd be spared.

Let that moondance fill the air.

Hooks and bobbers haze my line of sight

And this fucking headache feels like a damn dogfight.

Wine High

I drink wine to get high

I drink wine to get high

I drink wine, when I feel its time

To get high

There's a well beneath my feet

And it fills when I'm hungry

My purple veins like capillaries

I drink wine to get high

Fill me up, put me down

Watch our money slip away

And sure, we may be just a casualty

But I drink wine to get high