Lion's Mane
Run like a race for family
When you hear like you're alone
The rusted gears of morning
To faceless busy phones
We gladly run in circles
But the shape we meant to make is gone
Love is a tired symphony
Tou hum when you're awake
Love is a crying baby
Mama warned you not to shake
Love is the best sensation
Hiding in the lion's mane
So I'll clear the road, the gravel
And the thornbush in your path
That burns a scented oil
That I'll drip into your bath
The water's there to warm you
And the earth is warmer
When you laugh
Love is a scene I render
When you catch me wide awake
Love's a dream you enter
Though I shake and shake and shake you
Love is the best endeavor
Waiting in the lion's mane
Bird Stealing Bread
Tell me baby tell me
Are you still on the stoop
Watching the windows close
I've not seen seen you lately
On the street, by the beach
Or places we used to go
I've a picture of you
On our favorite day by the seaside
There's a bird stealing bread
That I brought out from under my nose
Tell me baby tell me
Does his company make
Light of a rainy day
How I've missed you lately
And the way we would speak
And all that we wouldn't say
Do his hands in your hair
Feel a lot like a thing you believe in
Or a bit like a bird stealing bread
Out from under your nose
Tell me baby tell me
Do you carry the words
Around like a key or change
I've been thinking lately
of a night on the stoop
and all that we wouldn't say
If I see you again
On the street, by the beach
In the evening
Will you fly like a bird stealing bread
Out from under my nose
Faded From The Winter
Daddy's ghost behind you
Sleeping dog beside you
You're a poem of mystery
You're the prayer inside me
Spoken words like moonlight
You're the voice that I like
Needlework and seedlings
In the way you're walking
To me from the timbers
Faded from the winter
Promising Light
Time and all you gave
I was the jerk who preferred the sea
To tussling in the waves
Tugging your skirt singing please, please, please
Now I see love
Tracked on the floor where you walked outside
Now I seek love
Looking for you in this other girl's eyes
Time and all you took
Only my freedom to fuck the whole world
Promising not to look
Promising light on the sidewalk girls
Now I see love
There in your car where I said those things
Now I see love
Tugging your skirt singing please, please, please
Time and all you gave
There on your cross that I never saw
Well beyond the waves
Dunking my head when I heard you call
Now I see love
There in the scab where you pinched my leg
Now I see love
There on your side of the empty bed
The Rooster Moans
Crack of dawn the rooster moans
Wake up boy you're far from home
Serpentine the tracks in flames
Longest path the devil laid
Led you straight aboard this rusty train
Lift your head cuz you can't sleep
Bite your lip cuz you can't eat
Darkest den the devil made
Jesus weeps but he's been paid
Not to ride inside this rusty train
Buzzard's breath the rooster moans
Stow it boy you're far from home
Stow your sorrows stow your fear
What'd you do to end up here
End up on the devil's rusty train
Upward Over The Mountain
Mother don't worry, I killed the last snake that lived
in the creek bed
Mother don't worry, I've got some money I saved for the
weekend
Mother remember being so stern with that girl who was with
me
Mother remember the blink of an eye when I breathed through
your body
So may the sunrise bring hope where it once was forgotten
Sons are like birds flying upwards over the mountain
Mother I made it up from the bruise on the floor of this
prison
Mother I lost it all of the fear of the Lord I was given
Mother forget me now that the creek drank the cradle you
sang to
Mother forgive me I sold your car for the shoes that I gave
you
So may the sunrise bring hope where it once was forgotten
Sons can be birds taken broken up to the mountain
Mother don't worry I've got a coat and some friends on
the corner
Mother don't worry she's got a garden we're it planting
together
Mother remember the night that the dog had her pups in the
pantry
Blood on the floor and the fleas in their paws
And you cried 'til the morning
So may the sunrise bring hope where it once was forgotten
Sons are like birds flying always over the mountain
Southern Anthem
Just like the way that you ran to wine
When they made the new milk turn
Jesus a friend in the better times
Let your mother's Bible burn
Freedom a fever you suffered through
And the dog drank from your cup
Frozen the river that baptized you
And the horse died standing up
But when a southern anthem rings
She will buckle to that sound
When that southern anthem sings
It will lay her burdens down
Just like the way that you lost your guns
When they cut the clothesline loose
Jesus a friend of the weaker ones
Said "I'm all they stole from you"
Freedom a thistle that withered dry
Still a baby in your hands
Frozen the ground refused to die
And the guitar rose again
But when a southern anthem rings
She will buckle to that sound
When that southern anthem sings
It will lay her burdens down
Angry Blade
Who left you so?
Who left you so?
Who left you so?
Striking a match for the keyhole
Dark as the evening laid
When he left you all alone
Turning to fade through the sawgrass
Tall as the only love
That you'll ever really know
Who left you so?
Who left you so?
Who left you so?
Grace is a gift for the fallen dear
You're an angry blade and you're brave
But you're all alone
Turning a shade of an angel born
In a bramble ditch when the doors
Of heaven closed
Weary Memory
Found your mittens behind a box of pictures
You would wear them before I brewed the tea
That's one memory I can easily conjure
Weary memory I can always see
Found your rosary broken into pieces
Every night by the bed you'd kiss the beads
Those are moments that I can always relive
Weary memories I can always see
Found a photo of you when we were married
Leaning back on a broken willow tree
That's one memory that I choose to carry
Weary memory I can always see
Promise What You Will
Lately she don't care for a warmer breeze
Or shade around the base of the maple trees
Spring was on the mountain we climbed upon
Stopped to see how high and how far we'd gone
I said "love is waiting and better days"
She smiled and placed a kiss on my waiting face
Promise what you will something good for me
Time will take it all and it will you'll see
Muddy Hymnal
We found your name across the chapel door
Carved in cursive with a table fork
Muddy hymnals and some boot marks where you'd been
The shaking preacher told the captain's man
The righteous suffer in a fallen land
Then pulled the shade to keep the crowd from peeking in
We found your children by the tavern door
With wooden buttons and an apple core
Playing house and telling everyone you'd drowned
The begging choir told the captain's man
We all assume the worst the best we can
And for a round or two they gladly drag you down
We found you sleeping by your lover's stone
A ream of paper and a telephone
A broken bow across a long lost violin
Your lover's angel told the captain's man
It never ends the way we had it planned
And kissed her palm and placed it on your dreaming head
