i found my soldier girl
one minute your blood runs electric
pretty girls the jukebox swears
like a sailor
they'll drag you underwater
one hour to wilt just like a flower
shaking off your medals
the petals and the sweat
to get to the valor of things
you'd lost in a war
one day the Bonnie hands will pay
for all those hearts they stole
from your pick-pocket soul
when you were giving it up for free
your calendar spent kicking dirt
you spun just like a record
fell asleep in her skirt
with the needle down
you left your clocks on in the wash tub
In momma's lovebug smoking cigars
in the garage with all the lights off
i cashed my phone calls in
for another round of sin
on my star bright gutter fancy
i cast a line out
from the bottle house
caging mermaids, drunk on fear
they were so holy
so glad they sold me
for i could not hold them dear
another page turns
to leave a winter burn
on my palms, your former property
so posh and proper
in your many sweaters
your parents could not pronounce your name
just west of here
just south of here
their red-cross pianos wailing
too many towns
too many faces
all mockingbirds that cry like mary
and in the evenings
we take our sick swings
to the altars of our failures
we're burning churches
crashing hearses
to the radio of our great revivals
so grab your bible
load your rifle
time comes to harmonize