bitter/silent

there is nothing worth saying
that is not bitter
I will remain silent

empty threat

when there's nothing to say
you only waste your time
looking for reasons
to fall into rhymes
so now I'm returning
to the scene of the crime
I am an empty threat
to myself

I speak over and over
jaws never stay shut
I try to act
with forgiveness, but
no matter what happens
it isn't enough
I am an empty threat
to myself

sing me an anthem
of society's pride
I'll nod in rhythm
while I'm standing outside
with words unspoken
my verdict denied
I am an empty threat
to myself
I am an empty threat

yesterday's child (rewrite one)

last night I dreamed 
I was yesterday's child
in a field of green
on the outskirts of wild
I'd committed no sin
I wasn't on trial
and the rest of my life 
was ahead

all of my worries
flew into the sky
and exploded into
the fourth of July
with fireworks hovering
like dragonflies
and the rest of my life 
was ahead

          if I could start over
          I'd start over again
          with a head full of questions
          with time as my best friend

I've always wondered
what happens if
your dreams are outnumbered
by whoever you're with
I stood unencumbered
and chose not to resist
and the rest of my life
was ahead

one night I dreamed 
I was yesterday's child
in a field of green
on the outskirts of wild
I'd committed no sin
I wasn't on trial
and the rest of my life 
was ahead
the rest of my life
was ahead

everybody we meet

it's when what you do
isn't good enough
it's when you're broken
before you get tough
it's a long hard road
it's a dead end street
it's you and me
and everybody we meet

wish

if I had a wish
I'd wish I wasn't alone
but wishes aren't real

crying uncle (rewrite three)

I haven't fucked up today
this may be a world record
for a man whose life is colored by 
a history that's checkered
by mistakes and miscalculations
an endless need to change the station
watch your step, man, goodness gracious
this ain't no push or shove

no suicidal thoughts today
that's one day in a row, now
but there's one sad thought
I still got
the rest of the day to go, now
give me morphine
give me liquor
anything to numb me quicker
what makes you well
just makes you sicker
it's no substitute for love
let me up, I've had enough
I'm crying uncle
I'm crying uncle

I haven't judged myself today
but I'm setting up the trial
filled with fury
I'm judge and jury
and living in denial
every time I give up hoping
I still keep my eyes wide open
it's my peculiar way of coping
I'm packing up my stuff
let me up, I've had enough
I'm crying uncle
I'm crying uncle

yesterday

yesterday
was a bad, bad day
if I'd have known
it was here to stay
I would have gone
the other way

yesterday
holy cow!
it was something
that was not allowed
but this I'll say
yesterday
is gone now

a turkey's life

(to the tune of "9 to 5" by Dolly Parton}

it's a turkey's life
and no way to spend Thanksgiving
if your skin is dry
well, then there's no forgiving
first they stuff you up
with bread to drive you crazy
but worst of all
is when they smother you with gravy

it's a turkey's life
I should have been a pigeon
when it's time to die
is when I get religion
they just cut you up
and eat until they wobble
and all you hear from them is
google gobble

a turkey's life...

yesterday's child

one night I dreamed 
I was yesterday's child
in a field of green
on the outskirts of wild
I'd committed no sin
I wasn't on trial
and the rest of my life 
was ahead

all of my worries
flew into the sky
and exploded into
the fourth of July
with fireworks floating
like dragonflies
and the rest of my life 
was ahead

          if I could start over
          I'd start over again
          with a head full of questions
          with time as my friend

I've always wondered
what happens if
your hope is outnumbered
by whatever you're with
I stood unencumbered
and chose not to resist
and the rest of my life
was ahead

one night I dreamed 
I was yesterday's child
in a field of green
on the outskirts of wild
I'd committed no sin
I wasn't on trial
and the rest of my life 
was ahead
the rest of my life
was ahead

keep the pencil moving

keep the pencil moving
never let it stop
you're bound to be improving
if you give it all you've got

step on the brakes (rewrite one)

well, hi there life
what's in store for me today
is it finally time
are things going my way
here I am
long time waiting for you
I'm in a jam
I don't have a clue

         but life
         I'm hoping you're on my side
         I mean, I
         I'm ready to take that ride
         I got what it takes
         but please sometimes
         step on the brakes

yeah, hey there life
I hope you take it easy on me
I know I lied
every time I claimed to be free
now I'm here
long time waiting for you
I could disappear
but I don't want to

         but life
         I'm hoping you're on my side
         I mean, I
         I'm ready to take that ride
         I got what it takes
         but please sometimes
         step on the brakes

         I got what it takes

         but please sometimes

         step on the brakes

step on the brakes

well, hi there life
what do you have in store for me today
is it finally time
for having things go my way
here I am
long time waiting for you
I'm in a jam
I don't have a clue

         but life
         I'm hoping you're on my side
         I mean, I
         I'm ready to take that ride
         out on dead man's curve
         watch out, man, just don't swerve
         I got what it takes
         but please step on the brakes

yeah, hey there life
I hope you take it easy on me
I know I lied
every time I claimed to be free
now I'm here
long time waiting for you
I could disappear
but I don't want to

         but life
         I'm hoping you're on my side
         I mean, I
         I'm ready to take that ride
         out on dead man's curve
         watch out, man, just don't swerve
         I got what it takes
         but please step on the brakes

crying uncle (rewrite two)

I haven't cried once today
this may be a world record
for a man whose life is troubled by 
a history that's checkered
by mistakes and miscalculations
an endless need to change the station
watch your step, man, goodness gracious
this ain't no push or shove

I haven't been upset today
that's one day in a row, now
but there's one sad thought
I still got
the rest of the day to go, now
give me morphine
give me liquor
anything to numb me quicker
what makes you well
just makes you sicker
it's no substitute for love
let me up, I've had enough
I'm crying uncle
I'm crying uncle

I haven't judged myself today
but I'm setting up the trial
I ain't no fool
I'm discarding rules
and living in denial
every time I give up hoping
I still keep my eyes wide open
it's my peculiar way of coping
I'm packing up my stuff
let me up, I've had enough
I'm crying uncle
I'm crying uncle

crying uncle (rewrite one)

I haven't cried once today
this may be a world record
for a man whose life is troubled by 
a history that's checkered
by mistakes and miscalculations
an endless need to change the station
watch your step, man, goodness gracious
this ain't no push or shove

I haven't been upset today
that's one day in a row, now
there's one sad thought
I still got
the rest of the day to go, now
give me morphine
give me liquor
anything to numb me quicker
what makes you well
just makes you sicker
it's no substitute for love
let me up, I've had enough
I'm crying uncle

I haven't judged myself today
but I'm setting up the trial
I ain't no fool
I'm making rules
and living in denial
don't make me laugh
don't make me cry
don't tell me your excuses why
I ain't looking for no alibi
I'm packing up my stuff
let me up, I've had enough
I'm crying uncle
I'm crying uncle
I'm crying uncle

faith and determination

I was standing at the corner of
faith and determination
when I saw the ruckus
at the scene of the crime
I've never been too good at
small chat and conversation
but if you're buying the whiskey
then I guess I've got time

if I wait here long enough

if I wait here long enough
the stoplight is bound to turn green
I will focus my sight 
on Saturday night
with my foot on the gasoline
I will dream of women and whiskey
and everything else in between
if I wait here long enough
the stoplight is bound to turn green

if I hope hard enough
something will someday come through
I've tried holding my breath 
but I failed the test
and I can't figure out what to do
my problem with looking for answers
is insisting on something that's true
if I hope hard enough
something will someday come through

         

imagination

sometimes I look
at a blank empty canvas
and imagine a painting
even though I don't paint
it's got colors of shadows
and echoes of dreams
I think it's beautiful
even if it ain't

          my imagination
          knows what it should see
          I don't need an investigation
          to explain myself to me

sometimes I hear
a voice in the silence
and somehow I know
the melody by heart
if you leave me alone
I can cut out the static
the sound that's left
is my signal to start

          my imagination
          knows what it should see
          I don't need an investigation
          to explain myself to me          

someday I will be happy again (rewrite 3)

someday I will be happy again

I don't know just how or where or when

all I know is I'm working for

the day when pain can be ignored

and I won't have to try to pretend

someday I will be happy again

someday I'll walk outside my door

not knowing where I'm heading for

put the key in the ignition

never asking for permission

and the rear view mirror shows a friend

someday I will be happy again

someday I won't feel broken inside

from all the voices telling me lies

one day I'll be breathing free

exactly like I'm supposed to be

and I know my grieving heart will mend

someday I will be happy again

someday I will be happy again

I don't know just how or where or when

I won't feel that it's a sin

occupying my own skin

like the strongest oak, I'll learn to bend

someday I will be happy again

someday I will be happy again

present

there is no time
like the present
which is fine
except it's so damn unmovable

world ends

when the world ends
it will come in the form of an email
informing us
that all we have done
all the love that we had
all the hope in our hearts
they were not enough

no mercy

I could have been a good person
but life treated me bad
troubles and tribulations were
the only family I had
they raised me as an orphan
whose reason was to serve
I learned with every beating
it was all that I deserved

          there is no mercy
          for a man like me
          I've prayed to Jesus
          to set me free
          I've stood in the fire
          but I can't forget what I've seen
          there is no mercy
          there is no mercy
          for a man like me