Van Gogh Stripes
Hey Bob
some god has painted
van gogh stripes
on the water tonight
so sit by my side
kick back and stare at the water tonight
I need perspective
after forty odd years
and a couple of beers
so sit with me here
van gogh, perspective, and a couple of beers
sundown retreats before
the starry moon night
I’m feeling all right
Hey Bob
I guess I’m feeling
all right

Uncle Fred
Uncle Fred said
it’s OK to work hard
honest labor for
a factory bard
So I’ll take another lap around the yard
but if I spend
another minute
in the absence of
your face
I’m going to
blow a gasket
have a melt down
and take a hammer
to this place
Fourteen hours and I can’t think straight
working all day without
a vision of your face
waste another orbit in outer space
I often wish that I
was miles down the road
your hair smells nice
a moment in your arms
would surely lighten
up my load
If I had my uncle’s machinery and his brains
I’d smash these walls around me
poetry melting chains
breaking free
work makes you free
Now where’s my hammer?

First Class
I wish I’d never heard about your bank account and your private jet
wasting time in the airport line at midnight learning my place
First Class
high above me
leave the rest behind
You’re at a party on a private yacht
I work hard for an entire year
to make what you spend
on a bottle of wine
First Class
high above me
let the others burn
Ski vacations, a month in France, a selfish dance, don’t send me a card
I have what I need, earn what I own at the grindstone
First Class
fly above me
First Class
high above me
I wish I’d never heard about
your bank account

Out Here
Out here your muscles and your hands
are your status symbols and possessions
Out here your riches matter not
your connections are disconnected
Our here your Hummer’s out of gas
Out here your cell phone doesn’t work
but you do
Out here your money is no good
It’s what you do, not what you got

One More
One more sip of coffee
one more step
down the road
down the road
Time for breakfast
so get in line
make no noise
don’t fall behind
rocks break open
in the mine
sift for diamonds
one more time

Big Bad World
moon and stars
dogs and cars
I’m in love with a girl
pure and wise
new world eye
sees a beautiful world
shampoo hair
I’m ensnared
I’m in love with a girl
front page blues
headline news
I’m afraid of the world
big bad world
vicious claws
gonna snatch you up in its jaws
I’m in love with a girl
but I’m afraid of the world

This
This is what I’ve been waiting for
46 foothills shine at attention
saluting the sunshine
all summer I shivered in the rain
a flood of opportunities running down the drain
now since you been here
the skies are clear
just for a moment
This is what I’ve been waiting for
drowning in sunshine

Reach for the Sky
late late fire
hot flowers I ride
thoughts that run
emotions that hide
blindly burn my
words on a leaf
paint my bones
like Georgia O’Keeffe
reach for the sky
close my eyes
the warmth of the sand
sun glass face
black birds understand
spread my wings
and trust to the skies
high away
with tears in my eyes
reach for the sky
you’re under arrest

Storm is Over
Now the storm is over
and the lake
has settled down
angry ripples will
turn to glass
Lift the sky
curtains open
gray clouds fade to blue
angry thunder will
turn to silence
shiny fields
lay down for
children sliding
in the grass
bitter gray will
turn to color
Now the storm is over
amber sun is going down
sky of lead will
turn to gold

Many Miles
just another morning
drag my ass out
of bed
shorts and a
t shirt
remembering what she said
I think about
my father
it’s just another day of work no play
too many hours on the selling floor
many miles away
other wives
and women
vanished in the mist
never going
to forget them
add them to the list
sundown
none the wiser
nothing but
a smart ass
alone in a bar room
holding Townshend’s empty glass
but now there’s
a family
somewhere across the sea
i must have done something right
they’re waiting there for me
many miles away

Cover Everything in Mist
This is way
too much human interaction for this time of the morning people want to
chatter and
jabber and push
small talk right
into my
shell shocked
concert rocked
ears
I’ll talk to you later and be who you need me to be
a moment alone please people want to jabber and chatter
and let their
trivia drain down into what’s left
of my
hibernated
uncaffeinated
brain
media blackout
cover everything
in mist
it’s a beautiful
mistake that
I’d like
to make
it’s a safety bubble
I think that we’re heading for trouble
it’s beautiful,
so beautiful
cover everything
in mist