A Serein-Filled Today

I gotta finish what I started

I'm crafting sounds no-one has heard

I can’t leave here all heavy-hearted

And still full of these rhyming words

These words my soul has carted,

Both fly up a single bird

And I know that I know what all that I must say

Both tomorrow and a serein-filled today.

 

You ask me why do I sing?

Well, I just feel l should be singing.

You ask me what does it bring?

Well, what should songs be bringing?

You ask me is this just a fling?
Well, what should I be flinging?

But I know that I know what all that I must say

Both tomorrow and a serein-filled today.

 

Each life lays out its feathered, arrowed arc

You can never know its bend

You fill it like a sacred ark,

You fight and you defend

But in the end the meadowlark

Knows how this all will end

So, I know that I know what all that I must say

Both tomorrow and this serein-filled today

 

I gotta finish what I started

But which no-one has heard

I can’t leave here all heavy-hearted

And still full of these rhyming words

These words my soul has carted,

Both fly up a single bird

And I know that I know what all that I must say

Both tomorrow and a serein-filled today.

 

There's Nothing In This Pain I Feel

There’s nothing in this pain I feel

It gets me through the day

There’s nothing in this pain I feel

I’m going to go away

I want to feed the flickers flying

Sparks into the sky

I want to feed you as you’re sighing

Sighing your goodbye

 

The ship is sailing

Whales are flailing

Shooting down the stars

My strength is failing

Sirens hailing

Down the dusty cars

 

There’s nothing in this pain I feel

It gets me through the day

There’s nothing in this pain I feel

I’m going to go away

 

The grackles gather, gaze with wise eyes

Up from concrete ground

I cannot find

Within this grind

The feathers that I prize

Within the songbirds’ sounds

 

These folded flowers cannot free

The bees until the morning

Within this pain, I cannot be

But be in painful mourning

 

I want to feed the flickers flying

Sparks into the sky

I want to feed you as you’re sighing

Sighing your goodbye

 

The forest fell

The ship is built

The barnacles will drag us down

You hear the bell

That chimes your guilt

You drop your floral gown

 

Behold the gold that we have found

Depression’s pain will fall

Upon the good and bad whose ground

Absorbs each raindrop’s fall

 

Now hold my hand

And understand

We must be sailing on

We must agree to fight the sea

The land’s dissolved and gone

 

There’s nothing in this pain I feel

It gets me through the day

There’s nothing in this pain I feel

I’m going to go away

 

I want to feed the flickers flying

Sparks into the sky

I want to feed you as you’re sighing

Sighing your goodbye

 

The Gambler's Blues

Lost everything I ever had
Least wasn't that much to lose
And that is why I'm sittin' here
Sittin' here singin' the blues

I gambled all my money gone
I gambled off my house
I gambled off my dog and truck
My children and my spouse

I gambled off my clothing,
Except what's on my back
I gambled off my friends and foes
I think I'm losing track

Lost everything I ever had
Least wasn't that much to lose
And that is why I'm sittin' here
Sittin' here singin' the blues

My wife was always cheatin'
My kids took all my dough
My dog let burglars in the house
There's nothing left, you know.

And so I stand here on the street
And sing my sorry song
I promise I won't miss a beat
I swear it won't be long

Lost everything I ever had
Least wasn't that much to lose
And that is why I'm sittin' here
Sittin' here singin' the blues

With all the change from singin'
I bought this here guitar
Without the licks I'm playin'
I won't get very far.

Lost everything I ever had
Least wasn't that much to lose
And that is why I'm sittin' here
Sittin' here singin' the blues

A Song from "A Continent of Kings"

The sun is rising, dragons fly
We celebrate the dawn
The gods are smiling, won’t deny
The children who have gone.
The children who have gone to live
Among the unicorns
Are happier in death to give
Their spirits to new morns.
Their spirits in the morning light
Are dancing to the mell,
Are dancing to young girls’ delight,
Are dancing to the bell.
The dragons fly and lift their souls
Beyond the desert heat
And griffons growl and feed their foals
Upon the children’s meat.

Daniel's Name

His name is Daniel, don't call him Dan
He is a baby, he's not a man
His pretty mommy's his biggest fan
His name is Daniel, don't call him Dan

His name is Jesus with a strong Hey
Don't call him Jesus with a strong Jay
He likes to eat and he likes to play
His name is Jesus with a strong Hey

His name is Camplin -- and that's Camp and Lin --
It's never Campbell or Gamblin --
To make this mistake's a sonic sin --
He name is Camplin -- that's Camp and Lin

East Tennessee

CHORUS:
My wife, she went and run off on me
Took my truck and my dogs off to east Tennessee --
Left me with the kids so that she could be free --
Took my truck and my dogs off to east Tennessee.

I hear that she took off to live with a man --
Why not? I was her number three --
She took off without warnin' me of her plan
To live out in east Tennessee.

I thought that she loved me -- I was a fool --
And a fool's what I always will be
'Cause my love for her sparkles in the sun like a jewel
From the mountains of east Tennessee.

CHORUS

I'm left kickin' the dust as I walk on to work --
The coal mines are all that's for me
'Cause my heart will keep yearnin' and always will lurk
In the mountains of east Tennessee

CHORUS

The children keep askin' "Where's momma gone?"
And all I can tell 'em is sung in this song
About their momma in east Tennessee

CHORUS

You Don't Have to Be Sexy All the Time, Honey

I see you're wearin' those cowboy boot again,
And your matchin' leather mini looks real fine --
Though we are together, lookin' at you feels a sin
You don't have to be sexy all the time.

CHORUS:
You don't have to be sexy all the time, honey.
You don't have to be sexy all the time.
Relax, put on some sweats and sit right here by me.
You don't have to be sexy all the time.

I love it when your hair's all made up.
I love it when you wear that thing to bed.
I love it when you wear your make-up --
When we go out you knock 'em all dead.

But when we're at home and it's just you and me,
It don't matter, you always look fine.
So let's stay at home and just sit quietly --
You don't have to be sexy all the time.

CHORUS

Don't go out like that --
Come sit next to me --
You don't have to be sexy at nine.
Just sit down right here
And we'll party 'til three --
You don't have to be sexy all the time.

CHORUS

The Merry Munchkin Song

Merry Merry Munchkin
Sittin' by the sea
Waves are lapping at her toes,
Sand upon her knee.

Merry Merry Munchkin
Sittin' in a tree,
Sittin' on a little branch,
Pretty as can be.

Merry Merry Munchkin
Sittin' here with me --
Such a pretty little girl
There could never be

Where's Momma Gonna Go Tonight?

The bar is closed and she's alone again
No one took her home tonight
I haven't seen her since I was ten
Where's momma gonna go tonight?

When momma left she never said a word
I never hear ma and papa fight.
It seems she took off just like a bird --
Where's momma gonna go tonight?

CHORUS:
When I was a boy momma left me behind
When I was a boy my daddy he declined
To ever say why my momma took off on me --
I reckon my momma just thought to be free.

I'll slow down -- should I stop my truck?
Will momma know that it is me?
She looks real sad, down on her luck --
Just a decade's gone, but she looks three.

CHORUS

A Caddy pulls up, my momma leans down
Where's she gonna go tonight?
I wonder: does she live in this town?
Where's momma gonna go tonight?

She gets in and rides off, 'til she's outta my sight
Oh where's momma gonna go tonight?

The Melina Song

Melina, Melina, oh what have you done?
Melina, Melina my girl
Melina, Melina are you having fun?
Melina, Melina my girl!

Melina
Melina
Melina, Melina my girl
Melina
Melina
Melina, Melina my girl

Melina, Melina -- so joyful and so free
Melina, Melina -- you dance so happily

Melina, Melina, are you having fun?
Melina, Melina my girl
Melina, Melina as bright as the sun
Melina, Melina my girl

Melina
Melina
Melina, Melina my girl
Melina
Melina
Melina, Melina my girl

My Rumored Pa

The man that's rumored is my dad
Is rumored to have died.
If I but knew, I'd sure be sad,
But tears have been denied.

A hundred men have daddied me,
Some only for a day
And for that reason I am free
So ma can hear me say

[Chorus]
Why did I never know my pa?
Why did you never know
Which of the men who shared your bed
Would stay to see me grow?
I never knew the man I missed
Was his hair black as crow?
Why did I never know my pa?
Why did you never know?

I don't know all the kids I've had
There's more than I can count
Each woman's just a fading fad
You're why I'm no account

Perhaps I ought to mend my ways
I do all that I can
But I am more than just like you
I am my daddy's man

[Chorus]
Why did I never know my pa?
Why did you never know
Which of the men who shared your bed
Would stay to see me grow?
I never knew the man I missed
Was his hair black as crow?
Why did I never know my pa?
Why did you never know?

And so I spread my dad's gray eyes
I give out his dark skin
So many women full of lies
The bearers of my kin

[Chorus]
Why did I never know my pa?
Why did you never know
Which of the men who shared your bed
Would stay to see me grow?
I never knew the man I missed
Was his hair black as crow?
Why did I never know my pa?
Why did you never know?

[Chorus]
Why did I never know my pa?
Why did you never know
Which of the men who shared your bed
Would stay to see me grow?
I never knew the man I missed
Was his hair black as crow?
Why did I never know my pa?
Why did you never know?

Why did I never know my pa?
Why did you never know?

Song of the Reactionary Busybody

 I saw the neighbor tanning in the nude
But public nudity is awful crude
I went inside to put a stop
To her behavior when I called a cop
I'm glad to say that she is gone
Now all you kids get off my lawn

I saw a kid off smoking pot
I hate to see a mind like that just rot
I went inside to put a stop
To his behavior when I called a cop
I'm glad to say that he is gone
Now all you kids get off my lawn

I'm sick of people doing what
They want. I'm sick of every slut
Who shows her giant boobs and butt
I want these assholes to be gone
Now all you kids get off my lawn

I saw a couple men hold hands
I can't believe that they exchanged gold bands
I went inside to put a stop
To their behavior when I called a cop
I'm sad to say that they aren't gone
Now all you kids get off my lawn

I heard a Spanish-speaking man
On all but English there should be a ban
I went inside to put a stop
To his behavior when I called a cop
I'm sad to say those words ain't gone
Now all you kids get off my lawn

I'm sick of people doing what
They want. I'm sick of every slut
Who shows her giant boobs and butt
I want these assholes to be gone
Now all you kids get off my lawn

I saw some children selling lemonade
Though I knew that no permit had been made
I went inside to put a stop
To their behavior when I called a cop
I'm glad to say that they are gone
Now all you kids get off my lawn

I saw some teens skateboarding down
My street. They should be run out of my town
I went inside to put a stop
To their behavior when I called a cop
I'm glad to say that they are gone
Now all you kids get off my lawn
 
I'm sick of people doing what
They want. I'm sick of every slut
Who shows her giant boobs and butt
I want these assholes to be gone
Now all you kids get off my lawn

The Fullest Eclipse of the Moon

In the sky is an eye red as blood --
It's the fullest eclipse of the moon
Beneath you the dirt's turned to mud
In the fullest eclipse of the moon

You threatened to leave me
I won't let you go
Your loss, it will grieve me
I want you to know
The night that you leave me
The moon will not glow

You have left me, this world and my soul
Is the fullest eclipse of the moon
And I hide as I'm digging this hole
In the fullest eclipse of the moon

The night's darker and red
And now we both are dead
In the fullest eclipse of the moon
I just cannot go on
Now that you, dear, are gone
With the fullest eclipse of the moon

 Oh why did I love you
The night that we'd met
The moon shined above you
I knew that I'd get
Obsessed, my thoughts on you,
You trapped in my net

In the sky is an eye red as blood
In the fullest eclipse of the moon
Now the dirt in the pit's turned to mud
In the fullest eclipse of the moon

With this blade I will join your soul soon
In  the fullest eclipse of the moon

The Devil's Preacher

My daddy was a preacher
With the Devil at his feet
A mostly sinful creature
Who no woman could defeat
He preached the Word, the pastor
Preaching Hell's eternal fire
But he was not the master
Giving in to his desire
The Devil was his teacher
Filling him with lustful heat
Yes, my daddy was a preacher
With the Devil at his feet.

I'd spend my Sundays sitting
In the pew surrounded by
My brothers, sisters getting
Jesus in their hearts and cry
I never knew how many
Kids were my half-siblings there
I never dated any
Girls with green eyes and black hair
No girls beneath the bleacher
Tasting lips so sweet
'Cause Daddy was a preacher
With the Devil at his feet.

Now I'm grown up and preaching
Standing in my daddy's place
I help my sheep, all reaching
Out for Jesus' saving grace
My daddy was my teacher
All the women love to greet
Me as the brand-new preacher
With the Devil at his feet.

The Old Strip Mine

When we were young and still
In love, we'd wander 'round
The strip pit, climb the hill
Look down where your brother drowned
Where boys still fish for bass
There we'd stand and you would sigh
The sun would shine like brass
There in the pond and you would cry

That scar upon the land
That scar upon your heart
I was too young to really understand
That scar upon the land
That scar upon your heart
I was too young, so we both grew apart

We'd row across the pond
The island topped with trees
Were you would show how fond
You were of me. My pleas
Of love would never fail
The silver moon would shine
On you, light on the shale,
And we'd get slowly drunker on our wine

That scar upon the land
That scar upon your heart
I was too young to really understand
That scar upon the land
That scar upon your heart
I was too young, so we both grew apart

And then one day you disappeared
I don't know why you're gone
I only hope that what I've feared
Has never seen the dawn

That scar upon the land
That scar upon your heart
I was too young to really understand
That scar upon the land
That scar upon your heart
I was too young, so we both grew apart

That scar upon the land
That scar upon your heart
I was too young to really understand
That scar upon the land
That scar upon your heart
I was too young, so we both grew apart

Down the Final Gravel Road

Your trailer lights are out tonight
Why did we have to always fight?
I hear the lonely crunch as I
Drive down the final gravel road

Your trailer's silver in the moon
I pray that you will be home soon
I am a man, I will not cry
I'm down the final gravel road

Where did you go?
Why did you leave?
I do not know
Why I must grieve
My loss of you --
What can I do?
I'm down the final gravel road

Your hounds are howling, how they drown
The crickets out -- I see your gown
Before I notice it is you
There  down the final gravel road

I wonder, have you seen me here?
I wonder why you left me, dear
I promise I was always true
I'm down the final gravel road.

Where did you go?
Why did you leave?
I do not know
Why I must grieve
My loss of you --
What can I do?
I'm down the final gravel road

 I was not there
You always said
I did not care
And now my bed
Is missing you
What did I do?
I'm down the final gravel road

You turn away -- am I in luck
You do not see my pickup truck
I drive away -- my sorrow runs
Me down the final gravel road

My long-lost love lives with our sons
There down the final gravel road