get off facebook

get off facebook
I mean it
it's no place for someone like you
who leaves things open-ended
you'll be unfriended
and then what will you do

don't point that mouse
damn it
it always points where you should not go
you'll be on social media
wikipedia
reading all you think you know

go outside
I dare you
feel the sunshine and river breeze
the closed curtains
and big hurting
only add to your disease

so get off facebook
I beg you
just go do something else
'cause I'm telling you, look, 
when you're on facebook
you're not taking care of yourself

people inside me

there are people inside me
I do not know their names
but they're all looking at me
as the one to take the blame
there's the five-year-old that's hurting
and scared and all alone
all he ever wants to do is
stay here at home
and sing along with records
and keep to himself
somehow he starts believing
everything's for someone else
there's this kid who's 14
and he's angry and sad
and no one pays attention
not even mom and dad
and he's scared and he's alone
and no one knows he's alive
he needs someone he can talk with
in order to survive
and both say "don't hit me"
but also crave to be struck
they don't know what happened
both of them are fucked
and they're looking at me
to ride in and save the day
and all I can do tell them
"look, I'm trying -- okay?"

you don't have to be a turtle 2

it's always one way or the other
it's always feast or famine
it's always all or nothing
always worse than you imagined
you can stick out your head
you can pull it back in
knowing that you can always
stick it out again

          you don't have to be a turtle
          but you need a shell
          to protect you from 
          rejection
          you know, love's the highest hurdle
          so respect yourself
          take care of your heart

it's like a pancake on the griddle
neither raw or badly burnt
you need some place in the middle
or you're gonna get yourself hurt
you could be alone
if you wanted to
knowing it's all gonna
catch up on you

          you don't have to be a turtle
          but you need a shell
          to protect you from
          rejection
          you know, love's the highest hurdle
          so respect yourself
          take care of your heart

          

that reason now

no matter what I do
no matter how much I drink
no matter the weed and pills
they still won't kill
the way I think
no matter what words are said
I can't get what happened
out of my head
so I thought I'd call you instead
'cause I can't sleep a wink

          they say "to everything,
          there is a season"
          they tell me
          it always works out somehow
          they tell me
          everything happens for a reason
          well, I need to know that reason now

ode to 2016

2016 is at its close
and there's nothing good to say
except I'm grateful for all those
I've met along the way
whose kindness helped me weather
the mighty storms that came
I'm glad we were together
I hope they feel the same

when you're poor

when you're poor
you wait in line
you wait in line
all the time
and the line grows longer
every day
when you're poor
you do your time
you do your time
waiting in line
and when your time comes
no one can say

when you're poor
it's so frustrating
you're always waiting
anticipating
the worst to come true
when you're poor
you're always hating
the time become grating
because waiting
is all you ever do

          nobody cares

          unless you have money 
          everyone's responsible
          for themselves
          nobody cares
          unless you have money
          and can help make profits
          for somebody else

when you're poor
you're always afraid
you're always afraid
the rent can't be paid
and the kids won't be fed
when you're poor
they lay it on thick
you can't afford to be sick
it's one of life's dirty tricks
and you don't come out ahead

          nobody cares
          your time is worthless
          there's no reason 
          to help you out
          nobody cares
          your time is worthless
          that's what business
          is all about

hen you're poor
you're always hoping
you're always hoping
for better days
when you're poor
you're always hoping
you're always hoping
and that's okay
because that's what you do
when you're poor

fishing for answers 2

I hope the bait is taken
I've done everything I oughta
you know it's down there waiting
deep underneath the water
hook, line and sinker
starboard and port
you ask me why
this is my retort
I'm fishing for answers
I'm fishing for answers

hand me my fishing pole
right now the tide is high
go down to the fishing hole
I got some fish to fry
I need to learn
a lot of stuff
this life I live
is too damn rough
I'm fishing for answers
I'm fishing for answers

          I don't know nothing
          about nothing
          about nothing 
          about myself
          that's why I got
          all those unread self-help books
          on that dusty shelf

I may flounder around a bit
with this ol' fishing rod
but this ain't for the halibut
I swear to cod
crown and anchor
fishing boat
I'm merely trying 
to stay afloat
I'm fishing for answers
I'm fishing for answers
I'm fishing for answers
ssshh...
I think I caught one