the people's symphony

I listen to the silence
like it's the people's symphony
I am respectful and formal
(unwilling servant that I am)

I believe I'll try something new:
I will listen to the silence
like it's a 
party!
I will drink alcoholic beverages
and sing along
loudly
with flat harmonies
and poor enunciation

but none of that will matter
because it's silence
and the only way 
to sing along with silence
is to not sing at all
not even humming to yourself

so I will listen to the silence
in silence
and if I'm fortunate
a part of me
will float away
to be part of a symphony
no one can hear

for Jen

I love Jesus but I drink a little
I love Jesus but I drink a little
my mind is fine 
I'm fit as a fiddle
glory Halleloo!


I've got the spirit but I love my moonshine
I've got the spirit but I love my moonshine
all my troubles left behind me
glory halleloo!


don't you worry 'bout me
partake of my hospitality


I love Jesus but I drink a little
I love Jesus but I drink a little
I'm rough around the edges
but I'm soft in the middle
glory halleloo!


I ain't perfect but the Lord still loves me
I ain't perfect but the Lord still loves me
I'm hoping He's thinking the very best of me
glory halleloo!


don't you worry 'bout me
you're part of the family

I love Jesus but I drink a little

I love Jesus but I drink a little

dreams like flapjacks

hot from the griddle

glory halleloo!

glory halleloo!

glory halleloo!

Fuckin' final exam

Played at the coffeehouse tonight. My nerves weren't as bad as they usually are, and my instrumental practicing has really worked out. But I've been better. But I wasn't half-bad.


You're so hard on yourself, farmboy. Give yourself a break and let yourself enjoy the pure joy of creating music. Trust me on this one. You'll enjoy it, you really will.


I enjoy playing, but I know you're right, man. I'm always striving for some sort of musical perfection, or something, I'm not sure what. What pisses me off is that it makes music a kind of fuckin' final exam.


But tonight, man...I'm not anywhere near to where I want to be but I'm moving in the right direction. I'm talking confidence here.


Which is something that you have major issues with, if you don't mind me saying that.


You can fuckin' say whatever you want. It's true, confidence...Man, I need to get confident. I need to live my life with confidence. It's just too...pathetic, you know, to live like a fuckin' wuss all the time. I need to be brave. There's this great songwriter who lives in Utah named T.R. Ritchie and he's been quoted as saying "When in doubt, do the brave thing."


Wise words.


Yeah, they are. I need to put them on a fuckin' refrigerator magnet and read them every day.

Always the same question

Friday's almost here. It's amazing, man. Every week is like the one before. It's like, by Sunday night I'm depressed because Monday is here and the hope of the weekend is gone. But, by fuckin' golly, Friday's almost here again! It'll all be great until Sunday afternoon, when I get depressed again.


Have you ever heard of living for the moment, farmboy? You may want to try it some time. Sunday afternoon might not seem so bad.


Easier said than done, my good interviewer friend. At least it is for me. I fuckin' anticipate things way too much. With always the same question: "What if -- fill in the blank -- happens?" Man, I tell you, fear rules my life.


I thought guilt ruled your life.


It used to. Now, not so much. For now, that is. Guilt could come back to reclaim its crown at any moment. But for a while now, fear has been the big boss. Pisses me off.


But, anyway, does it all matter? Not today! 'Cause today, man, today is Thursday and there is light at the fuckin' end of the fuckin' tunnel, man!

puppies

all these words
jumble around in my brain
waiting to be put to use
in sentences
and rhymes
they are so willing to please
like puppies
licking your nose


it is too bad
that I have nothing to say

Grouchy

Man, this just fuckin' sucks. I ain't even tired and I have to go to bed so I can wake up and go to my fuckin' job. Seems like everything I do is centered around the fuckin' job. You know, being a good little soldier ant. 


You may not feel it, farmboy, but you sound tired. Maybe you should go to bed.


Yeah, I know. My teeth are brushed, clothes are laid out, tomorrow's lunch is made. I guess I could go to bed. You know, wake up fresh and all that shit.


Plus, I guess I get grouchy when I get tired.


Oh, really? I hadn't noticed.


Have a good night, man.

springtime comes

sun breaks through the leaves
golden on my neighbor's lawn
springtime comes at last 

buy fresh strawberries
$1.50, sixteen ounces
sugar not needed

sit out on the front steps
playing the guitar
waiting for summer
now that winter's gone and past
springtime comes
springtime comes at last