limitations
a girl walks near
nervous
for the first time on her own
in the big world

rich in freedom only
rich in potential
rich in charm

hard wood floors
migrant families
nights filled with sirens
nights are filled with dreams
Just beyond that 60-watt

the lamp was her mothers
the room is hers
like her mother before, she’s
on her own, independent

the clock was her fathers
the time is now hers
like her father before her,
she’s proving the ground

the building stinks of use,
years of tenants, of life
of others starting out, just like her

it’s not much
but it’s all hers
for the first time
she’ll do great things here

her small place in the big big world

Black and white night

Restrained

This old body’s not holding out

Pain

In so many places

The kids at the diner are playing songs from their youth

What is my soundtrack?

Who plays these songs for me?

The damaged

The used

On the cusp

Seasons soon to change

What will the kids play next?

They clean up

End their night

They live for the next day

And this guy looking back at me in the reflection in the window

He doesn’t really see them

He doesn’t really see me back

Just the pain in his head

And in his heart

So many places

So many nights like these

Black and white

And he’s somewhere in the gray

 

The 5am

So many reunions in my dreams

My eyes burn at the light

Cool breeze on skin

A cool breeze from the window

Still Dark

Still the lights

Is the world awake yet?

Are my sins back?

A sin called reality calls

On so many nights like these

So many haunted faces come back

Those I’ve lost

Those I’ve left

Those that left me behind

A stillness in the air

Still in the heart

Only those with meaning walk at this hour

Either that or those who walk totally lost

In this

The 5am

 

Inside the out door

Travel begins

Maybe this time, we’re in luck

This time around, no visitors

No plagues to be brought

No fortunes sold

Get up kid

See that place in front of you

The big wide world

Take it

The highway of love

Keep it going

Going, going far

Keep it on the road,

Reach far out

To blue sky and valley nights

Reach out

To those stars once again

Night traveler
Under cloak
Near darkness
Sprinkled by lights of the city
Haunted by a past few others can see
But I can see
I can see your specter

Coyote Trail
Waiting for that big break
For the breakers
For the light
For the end of this long night
Wander the path
Coyote Trail
Searching for food
For life
Wading through the early morning light
Stretching out what’s left of your coyote night
In these hills
Where man has taken over
Spiders hide at day
Coyotes hunt at night
We lay still in darkness
In heat
In light
We wander
We search
We climb that trail

The new wanderings
Almost warn the boots out again
The heart too
Cracks in the concrete
Cracks in the road
Endless
Nights
Days
Wanderings
Weary man on the road
A weary face in the mirror
Where to?
Where from?
Wandering
Headlights in the distance
A pair of broken hearts
Wandering the road
We feel the breeze
The night
The walk
The dreams
Which have walked in
And walked away
So far away from here
It’s the new wanderings now
A weary man on these roads
No more rearview, no more mirror
Cracks in the concrete
Cracks in the heart

Cold Winter Car
He’s stuck by down by Ave A
Keep it warm, buddy
Keep that engine going
The girls are watching
Broken luck
Broken looks
Where should we go when we have all of nowhere?
Nowhere to be
Nowhere to go
Voices carry in these streets
Neon glows
Lights of the big big city
Cross that street in style, boy
Never know who’s watching
Crossing
Or driving by

Dead man
Breaking apart piece by piece
Fractures
Tears
Pieces
Falling apart
Inside and out
And still
Dead man walks
Over and over again
He won’t stay down
Dead man
I can’t even look in his face
I’ve see what he’s seen
Been where he’s been
Broken
And down
Again and again
Dead Man walking
Dead Man walk
Don’t stop
Dead Man
Don’t retreat
Don’t falter
Don’t stay down
Please rise
Breath again
Rise again and again from that dead
Dead man
I’ll see you one day
I’ll look down on your grave
And I’ll be looking back up
Fighting
For more
Always more

Trash boy
Trash man
This is what we’ve built
This city
This poison
This place we dwell
Technology and success
This game
We victim the rules
We rule what we created
Again and again
A cry for freedom unheard,
a cry
This is how to live
Some will trample others, rising to the top
Some will trample others, getting what they want
Others will remain below
And where will I see you?
In this city we’ve built
Will you be on the backs of others?
Or down, very far below?