BIRD ON THE WIRE

Like a bird on a wire

like a drunk in a midnight choir

I have tried in my way to be free

Like a worm on a hook

like a knight in an old fashioned book

I have save all my dreams up for thee

And if I, if I have been unkind

I hope you will just let it go by

and if I, if I have been untrue

I hope you know it was never you

Like a babe stillborn

like a beast with his horn

I have torn everyone who reached out to me

But I swear by this song

and by all that I have done wrong

I will make it, make it all up to thee

I met a man, a beggar leaning on his crutch

he said to me, why do you ask for so much

I saw a woman leaning in her darkened door

she cried to me, why not ask for more

Like a bird on a wire

like a drunk in a midnight choir

I have tried in my way to be free

Leonard Cohen, 1970

CHANCE

The role of chance in life
roll of the dice
turn of the card
pick of the lottery
Carries you to a place
you may not have gone
Missed bus
leaves you standing on a lonely corner
meeting someone who changes your life
for better or worse
chance becomes the real

Is there anything else to say?
Only the Camus thing
Sysiphus was happy
pushing that rock up the hill
I'm happy pushing that rock
carrying that cross
I'm alive

DRIFTER

Cloudless skies are meaningless blue fabric
scraping the dustbowl with a spoon
piling diamonds up on rust
powder dry but the boots are wet
wading through the fields of death
Shadows crawl down the street
cover the willows and cottonwoods in sweet retreat
Beyond the azure sky
crimson ribbons
transition cream colors
from night to dawn
then all turns to mauve

Falcon on the fly
belies
the January day
when sugar bowl candy
made us all alive
on green cheese
mayonnaise
Crescent caresses the sky
between the limbs
that rustle in cool night breeze
bow

A will o' the wisp
flibber ma gidget
whatcha ma call it
wraps me up in gossamer wings
I pretend to know the difference

TALKING TO GOD

I did talk to God last night

in a dream

first time

came into the room with fanfare

white bearded old man

reminded me of Moses

sat next to me in a chair

posed a puzzle, test I suppose

"What do you see, want to be?"

"That men will live in peace,

I know we are all sinners

but that's what you're for

to forgive us."

He leaned over and whispered in my ear,

"I forvige you."

Never never land, children never grow up

No land, children are never born

Now land, springs eternal truth

TWO MINUTES FAST AND AN HOUR SLOW

Two minutes fast and an hour slow
My clock is set by daylight breaking
And the night falling down
Racing toward the past
All my foibles and failures
And the people I've left behind

I've punched a hole in this world
Not very large or very long
Just enough to get me back,
Back where I belong