Penthouse in the House of Cards

What did you expect to hear
comforting words and sympathy
its too late for those things
though not for the like of trying

Blame anything you want
blame the stars and the moon and the sun in the sky
but don't ask me how I feel
about any of it
because I can't be bothered to care

You see, its all too deep
too much time and substance has gone past
and you only lack imagination
if you thought it could last

Don't even worry
if the outcome is good or bad
theses things are beyond control
know you've just been had

Let go of the little things
you use to dwell upon
and don't take for granted
that which now you depend on

Given time you may find
all was for the best
or given time you may find
the only certainty is death

Migration of the Land Whale

Wonders never cease
especially when it comes to the neighbors
I would guess them to be obese
But they never leave the house
so I honestly could not say
But while standing outside tonight
the suspicion was on display
As I looked down to the right
half a block from me
I saw a care pull out of the drive way
and ease out on the street
Instead of heading to the through fare
instead of going who knows where
it pulled into the neighbors drive way
and into the garage it disappeared

Looking Up

Growing up
the sky was full
of stars
Endless stretches
of countless pin points
of light
It made us feel small
and yet free
and spry
No walls to limit
a young and active
imagination

But now that we are older
and we "know better"
there is always a
shallow ceiling overhead
Be it because of our fear
or our false air of superiority
from small town to city
looking down and at our feet
We shut off the sky
with lamp and street light
abolished the night
under a decry of safety
And so always boxing in
the eye that looks
beyond the horizon
past the kiddie pool
and tunnel vision

Voices from the Cracks

three days ago
I left you there
with bitter words
and the devil to care

and now I pay a heavy price
cold and tired, I miss you my wife
but all things come to an end
I hope you find happiness again, my love

three days ago
I had naught but pride
with endless ambition
all planned and all timed

and now the walls come crashing down
as night settles on this town
I close my eyes and I dream
of all the things that might have been, my love

locked tight
trapped inside
no escape
unprepared
sunlight shines no more
will I darken your door
the only thing
escape the pain
forgive me now
I must go

The Lord's Day

launching from port
under a morning haze
in the dim twilight
of another gray day
with gunmetal skies
and mercury seas
the old familiar landmarks
which to steer by

this is the Lord's Day
like any day
the final way

for what's better
or what was worse
its been the only course
the everyday curse
for all our bounty
our never ending thirst
we've been made fast
tied to our mast

this is the Lord's Day
like any day
the final way

for all of the honest life
true and faithful no vice
wind in the face
and a rising tide

this is the Lord's day of reckoning
for those who have done nothing wrong
there is no prejudice, no animosity
just a time and a place, an ending

salt taste in the mouth
hold your breath, not long now
to the journey's end
sunset again

this is the Lord's day of reckoning
for those who have done nothing wrong
there is no prejudice, no animosity
just a time and place, an ending

Goodnight
starlight
a frantic wave
pray to be saved
misguided hope
on which to choke
sit on your rock
that's all she wrote

watch the tide
all worry subsides
the only thing
to get away
escape the pain
another mountain
which to climb
now is your time
another life
left behind

Whichever side of the bed

Sometimes just a tired old man
limping on his last leg
sometimes just a bump on a log
passively waiting out the rains

Some times an adventurous buc
sailing the high seas
but most of the times just me
lost and confused, and nothing on TV

Good Semaritans

With tired words
and a vacuous stare
you are told about
reasons why you should care
and how you have come up short
but in the end you
can't imagine why you should

with hollow words
on slow wagging tongues
you are told why
your way of life is useless
and to wanton ideas you have succumb
but you don't mind
long ago they left their lives behind

with empty words
that echo through the years
have they stripped many
from which they really cared
not so humanity will be a better race
but to justify themselves
by making everyone a disgrace

In an old tangled wood

In an old tangled wood
Of thorn and spine
Lost to drought and
The ravages of time
You cast out insults
With indiscriminate airs
Howling your hollow words
Pretending some actually cared
With a crown of thorns
Pressed on your eyes
Alligator tears you cried

In an old rusted cage
Of iron and bronze
Buried in the sands
Of many years beyond
Wretched the old
Demented sage
Spewing words of hate
And damnation for the ingrates
And though his tongue sharp
And his voice loud
He was lost in the crowd
Detonate

What was yours
Is now mine
Your steely hands
Could not choke the life
Better than mine

And your hubris
Will be your demise
God is on my side
If He can't be mine
Then we will all die

No better days
Can you hope to have
We are all prisoners
Pawns in the Almighty's
Absent hands

And the children did say
Hallelujah as they marched to the grave
And the thin ice of faith
Did swallow them to its depths through grace

Forever tomorrows
But dragging the anchor
Of a sealed fate
We beg to our betters
For what we needed
To keep us on our way
And forever with deaf ears
And with blind eyes
Do block our way
At least for one more
Tired day

RE: the actors

But as an actor on this plastic stage
with all the hype and confusion
and all the ignorance that has
taken the place of personality
Froths up like warm beer
and the foam gets in the eyes
it blurs the sight
and all that is known is direction
shouted from the side
acting blind on some near jerk reactions
stupefied beyond belief
and no this isn't a state
that was work to during the day
we wake up this way
its become a reality
of our own stupidity
only generations of ignorance
could make us this deranged

A Change of Profession

I would never make a good house keeper
its not that I am lazy
it just I don't think of it
I don't see it
It doesn't register
My mind and my interest
lay in other places
with other objectives
or lack there of
But constantly I am admonished
for just being lazy
or a sloth or filthy
okay, level your accusations
keep adherence to your rules and systems
but let me give you some advice
I can tell you a that you
would be happier managing
an office supply store
than calling yourself an artist

Thanks for the hospitality

At the barrel of my gun, on your knees
As I march into this foreign land and declare
I am you friend and not your enemy
So it is true, and so it shall be
As I shoot your sister in the teeth

He sat there not caring for the difference
Two months of uncertainty and pain
were enough to thicken his skin again
All he knew was he didn't give a fuck
But for a few short hours the bottle had always given him luck
So he indulged
but nothing was resolved
the same tired story on a new day
well that is what they say
when there is no distinction
how is that proof
of something new
TV wasn't a cure... drugs
were temporary fun
But at the same time to be an alcoholic
is the lesser of all evils when all is said and done
Some where there was a lie
Some time someone pissed in his eyes leaving him blind
But to no confession he awoke
walking funny to the joke
Gravity to the train of thought
wrecking the higher message sought
well maybe, if it all wasn't a lie
of which there is no guarantee
of which there is nothing to comply
but in the morn, when the head was wrecked
there wasn't much solace to offer
so he took another hit

Hate from all directions
for the sake of over
masculine erections

hate from all sides
cover your face and
try to futilely hide

Hate is the boundary
defining the low man's
inherent stupidity

Hate is all I find
But what can you say
when it comes from inside

measure of use

The invisible hand is easiest to cut
No tales of gore, no evidence before
Even the man stuck in a rut
has more clout that those ignored

And for all effort and all stratagem
And against precepts of Methuselah
When blame is to fall it finds a target
randomly among us all

Ignored and devalued is the practice
Abandoned and discarded like refuse
But that is not the sum
it is not the whole
in times of trouble or excesses
we learn all is expendable
if it fits the greater whim of all

What gets you through the night

hammered once again
he drank like a fish
and didn't know when he began

but the particulars aren't important
its the effect to pursue
to kindle the life that is dormant

and he had no interest in playing nice
just a stubborn insistence
to follow his vice

though tomorrow be difficult
at least at first
the road was wholly differnt
and by measure of drudgery no worse

and he went back for a refill once again

the true believer

he sat there
with his eyes
raised to tomorrow
that never came

he looked to the
infinite power
that never reigned

and when he
stopped weeping
he cleared
the tears

and look ahead
and saw that
everything was in front
not some fantasy
of never been years

and in doing so
he was able to do good
and not just
pad the pocket of fools

there is always one

I sat across from this guy
at work
and he would ask the dumbest questions
he would say the most inane
things

not what you want to hear
when hungover
not what you need when
your blood is curdled

but there was no escape
just grinding teeth
and bitter and stony face

and on it went
ad nauseum
day after day
in a terrible way

with his sticky candied fingers
talking more than working
bluffing bullshit out his ears

but I got away from there
I can't say it was a step up
but I don't care
I still got out of there

Derailed gravy train

I saw the future of tomorrow
and the stars weren't too bright
all given to following
the dimmest of lights

I saw the answers and they were not keen
just a testimate of what could have been
more lost souls and clouded ways
a ghostly reminder to long lost brighter days

I saw the answers and they weren't right
just harbingers of an already lost fight
back in the day when it made sense
somehow we fell off the wrong side of the fence

re: a bad day

Drink the round
its been a hard day
take the edge off
get misery out of the way

Once secure in friendly settings
let go of the mean trappings
let yourself come forth
be it for better or worse

so it has been a hard night
we are all there from time to time
take your shoes off, get your load on
no presumptions made here on

get back to the truth
or at least what it means to you
there are enough troubles ahead
but tonight enjoy yourself before its time for bed

holy repetitions

We carved the old graven images
not because we actually believe in them
its just what we are raised to do

we passed lip service to the dead old deities
not because we thought they would hear us
its just that there is no one else to talk to

we followed the old hollow traditions another year
not that we cared to be doing those things
its just that we pretend there are rules

when a relative dies we give them the holy send off
not because we think they have found peace or are with god
its just the lines we tell ourselves when nothing is true