COLLABORATION AREA
End of Times (Dark humor, spoken word)
About a half hour after sunset this morning,
A comet went streaking across the sky with a warning-
It was pulling a banner, or maybe it was a sign;
It said something about the end of times-
But I was catching season two of ‘I Got Shit to Do’
& I wasn’t gonna pause that—I was already an episode behind.
& Now, I’m stuck in traffic, late for work, but I’m not worried.
I hate my job, I got some cigarettes, and a half-gallon Slurpee.
An ad just came on about a personal life raft, or something like that…
Sounds like the one the guy has strapped to his roof a couple of cars back.
Good idea, it’s been raining heavy for about 3 or 4 months now.
Sloppy scene, but I figure, at least it’s putting the fires out,
And I have an umbrella anyhow.
The news guy said a tsunami hit the coast of Alaska. Or was it Nebraska?
I’d turn the station, but it's just disaster after unnatural disaster-
I wonder how long this is all gonna last.
The writings on the wall, the preachers say, graves have already been dug,
And all this chaos is just God’s little way of pulling the plug.
Might be, too.
Things are breaking down all over the place, can't deny that.
But my body’s already shot, and I got bills to pay-
I guess I’m too broke to break.
So, I’ll just keep whistling away-
Maybe it'll be OK.
Dragon’s Den (Spoken word)
(Wrote this after listening to Desolation Row by Dylan)
Friday night about half past ten,
I walked into the Dragon’s Den-
Just a little place, but friendly folks-
Light on dragons, heavy on smoke.
Figured I’d stick around since I'd heard good things.
A guy in the corner with a snakeskin pipe
Waved me over, ‘cause he needed a light-
He said “Hey there friend, ever tried this stuff?”
I said “Once or twice, but it didn’t do much.”
He said “You haven't had this particular brand,”
And he offered me some.
So I grabbed the pipe and I thanked the guy,
Took a hit, and then I closed my eyes-
Heard a sound like an avalanche,
And reality didn't stand a chance-
The guy wasn't kidding about this stuff.
‘Cause the roof and the walls just disappeared-
And I found myself in a house of mirrors-
All alone, but there were twenty of me.
Got to pick who I wanted to be-
Third guy from the left, and I went walking.
There was a wooden arch by a magic shop-
‘For madmen only’ written across the top.
I’d been called a lot worse before,
So I went right in where there wasn’t a door
And they were waiting for me.
There was a slightly manic coat check girl,
By the 7 Wonders of the Underworld.
She pointed at the map while holding a beer-
“This dot on top, well, ‘you are here,’
And it’s all downhill after this but I’ll show you around.”
Saw a purple pigeon in a pickup truck-
He pulled on over to pick us up.
Said “Howdy folks where you headed?
I’ll take you anywhere for a loaf of bread.”
Pigeons do like their bakery products, even down here.
She said “We’re going to Poseidon’s place-
Got a little trailer with a private lake.
Guess all the gods downsized a bit,
You know the market crashed and they took quite a hit.”
But when we got there, he wasn’t home,
So we just kept going.
Saw a hideous creature with a dozen mouths-
Had been the meanest monster in town,
But now he's working at the lumber mill
Just trying to put a dent in his dental bills.
That's the side of monster-hood you don't hear about-
The maintenance costs.
Then she took me to a museum of sorts-
See a bunch of stuff that happened before.
Main exhibit was the Holy Land,
Not a whole lot of peace, just a whole lot of sand,
And there was a little scene happening with Moses.
He was arm wrestling an octopus.
Kind of turned out like I thought it would-
Moses was tough but he was just a man,
And the other dude kept changing hands.
Said “If you’re gonna part this sea you gotta go through
me.”
And the Jews and the Christians were at it again,
About the empty tomb and the guy that went in.
The Jews said it was all just a magic act,
Like pulling a rabbi from a hat.
Time to head somewhere a little less biblical.
So she took me to a tiny little town,
Hookah pipes being passed around-
The dormouse looked at me and smiled,
Said “Reality's just a stubborn child,”
Pretty deep for a dormouse, but we had to keep going.
Saw Buddha sitting by a burned out tree,
Said “The best things in life really are free-
But hey can you spare a buck or two?
I got child support, and the rent is due.”
Guess he didn’t think that one all the way through.
Saw a kangaroo riding an elephant,
Swerving around- I think they both were drunk.
Went in the ditch after hitting a deer.
Trunk flew open- peanuts and beer.
Didn't see that coming.
It was getting late, and the stuff was starting to wear off.
Actually, I have a confession to make-
The truth is I never did go in
To a little place called the Dragon’s Den.
I didn’t need drugs to get me high-
Had everything right here inside.
Creativity is enough for me.
Primal Scream (Song)
(I was trying the verses as Am-G-F-E...
Probable skip 'cauldrom' verse in top section & just
do 2 before chorus instead.)
There's a monster, there’s a martyr, a serpent and a saint-
There’s the love of the Carpenter, but there are nails, and there is pain.
Swirling contradictions in some strange cosmic stew-
I always thought I knew myself, but now I haven’t got a clue.
‘Cause there's chaos in the cauldron, and it’s boiling up again-
There'll either be a feast tonight, or just a helluva lot of pain.
The moon is climbing high now,
The moon is climbing high.
Don't close your eyes.
So what's gonna happen now, that the veil's been stripped away?
Should I run, should I scream, should I be kneeling down to pray?
Yet something calls me closer, as the flames are climbing higher-
But you can see the light and still not know, just who lit the fire.
The moon is climbing high now,
The moon is climbing high.
Don't close your eyes.
Is it heaven, is it hell, is it up to me to choose?
There's just a fine line, sometimes, between a halo and a noose.
‘Cause there's chaos in the cauldron, and it’s boiling up again-
There'll either be a feast tonight, or just a helluva lot of pain.
Can’t Trust the Devil (Humorous song - or spoken word)
I sold my soul to the devil last Saturday night,
For eternal youth and a case of Bud Light.
But when I woke up on Sunday, I was still old and gray.
What the hell happened? That’s not the deal that we made.
As I looked in the mirror, I was kicking myself-
I think I mighta sold my soul to… somebody else.
I don’t think that fella was the devil at all–
Just some guy with a pitchfork, wearing overalls.
You can’t trust the devil, guess it's true what they say,
And there are so many devils out in the world today.
So, you gotta be careful about the company you keep-
And if you’re selling your soul, make sure you get a receipt.
Maybe ask for ID.
What can you do? I guess you live and you learn.
Some dude got my soul, and I didn't get much in return.
I bet he hangs out down on Broadway at night,
Selling second-hand souls, by a neon light.
I think I’ll go down there and see about getting mine back-
It's probably in a pile, out on the discount rack.
You can't trust the devil, I guess it's true what they say,
And there are so many devils out in the world today.
So, you gotta be careful about the company you keep-
And if you’re selling your soul, make sure you get a receipt.
Maybe ask for ID.
So Far From Home (Spoken word)
We've wandered so far from home
And the kingdom we had known.
We’ve forgotten we have the key–
That deep down we’re royalty.
I saw Fred today at the corner of 3rd and Main.
I didn't know the guy, but hey, he was wearing his name.
Had it pinned right there on his fancy little argyle vest.
This guy–even his shadow was nicely dressed.
But something was missing; you could see it his eyes.
Whatever he was thinking of, it was probably super-sized.
And his poor little dreams, they were all dressed in rags,
Following behind, bottle of wine stuffed in a paper bag.
Once in a while they catch a glimpse of the stars;
Have this feeling they're not who they think they are.
We've wandered so far from home
And the kingdom we had known.
We’ve forgotten we have the key
That deep down we’re royalty.
There's a heaviness that hangs in the air these days–
People looking up but damn sure not to pray.
Bookies taking bets on when the whole thing's gonna crash.
At the House of Gifts for the Apocalypse, heard they're
only taking cash.
And the roads ‘round here are all lit with neon signs.
Folks are lost, but, damn, they're making good time.
Once in a while they catch a glimpse of the stars;
Have this feeling they're not who they think they are.
We've wandered so far from home
And the kingdom we had known.
We’ve forgotten we have the key
That deep down we’re royalty.
Painting the Town (Whimsical, fun, song)
Said she'd call me by nine tonight-
It's about quarter to eleven right now.
But she doesn't worry 'bout time she says-
The hands always come back around.
She's the kind of girl who’ll walk on a wire,
And tell you there ain't nothing to it.
Wild and free and light as a bird-
And she's got the scars to prove it.
Said she'd love me forever,
Her forever just isn't that long,
It’s more like June to December,
And I'm just trying to hold on.
November is already gone.
Was a starry night when she caught my eye-
She was there by the carnival booth.
Said you gotta be this tall to go on this ride-
But the rest is all up to you.
Didn't take long and I fell for the girl-
Spent our nights out painting the town.
But it ain't no paint by numbers with her,
It’s like Van Gogh ran into a clown-
Colors flying all around.
Said she'd love me forever,
Her forever just isn't that long,
It’s more like June to December,
And I'm just trying to hold on.
November is already gone.
Stumbling Along (Humorous song)
I went down to see my shrink today,
Find out what is wrong with me-
Wouldn't you know it, the sign said “Closed”-
I heard he's back in therapy.
So, I tried to find a professor of mine,
Was the wisest guy around-
But he traded his diplomas for Oklahoma,
And now he's a rodeo clown.
I don't know whether anyone's got it together,
Think we're all just stumbling along-
So maybe I'm doing just fine.
Had a heart to heart at the local park,
With all my feathered friends-
It was nice to have someone listening,
At least, 'til I ran out of bread.
So, I went to see an old ex-priest,
Who hears confessions at the bar-
But I caught him doing some unholy communing,
In the back seat of his car.
I don't know whether anyone's got it together,
Think we're all just stumbling along-
So maybe I'm doing just fine.
Been walking around with my head hanging down,
Thought it was time that I looked up.
That's when I tripped over a four-leaf clover-
Just my kind of luck.
Lying there, I yelled up a prayer-
“Tell me what's it all about!”
He just laughed, and said, “I can't tell you that!
We're all just trying to figure it out.”
I don't know whether anyone's got it together,
Think we're all just stumbling along-
So maybe I'm gonna be just fine.
Another Way? (Song)
There’s a young man reading Dante in the night–
Feels the heavenly words, more than the hellish sights.
Hasn't seen enough of the darkness yet in his life.
Has a shiny love right now, but it’s bound to rust.
Ashes turn to ashes, and dust turns to dust-
He'll try his best to sweep ‘em under the rug.
And I know what my preacher’s gonna say-
“The soul has to get lost before it gets saved.”
Just seems there could have been another way.
A newborn baby cries as it takes a breath-
Let me tell you, child, you ain’t seen nothing yet.
Have they told you how the whole thing’s gonna end?
Yet, the bluebirds sing, and it sounds like a symphony-
They lift us up just high enough to see,
That truth walks hand in hand with absurdity.
And I know what my teacher’s gonna say-
“Need black and white or else it all turns to grey.”
Just seems there could have been another way.
The poets hold the dark, and turn it just a bit,
So maybe folks will see another side of it-
Better still if the light would’ve just stayed lit.
But the morning sun comes up like a ray of hope,
And maybe the gods are finally gonna drop us a rope-
Or be kind enough at least to let us in on the joke.
And I know what my Eastern friends will say-
“Light and dark are dancing in a cosmic play.”
Just seems there could have been another way.
Dancing in the Graveyard
(Tom Wait's vibe - spoken word or song)
Late one night, I'm out tiptoeing
My way through the wilted tulips-
My shirt's ripped, I'm spilling scotch,
Don't know where the hell my other shoe is.
And I'm looking around, and thinking of all the death
That's happened in this place-
Like the garden of Eden is one big grave,
Don't think the devil carries a pitchfork- I think he's got a big ol' spade.
The whole thing doesn’t make sense sometimes,
Like we're on some twisted carnival ride-
Can't get off, and there’s nowhere to hide.
Stranded, empty handed-
So I'm living lightly and I'm playing hard,
Dancing round the graveyard,
Dancing round the graveyard.
The cosmos seems like one big cold machine;
Most of the time it’s stuck between gears.
Once in a while, it throws off a spark,
And we get a Mozart or a Shakespeare.
But usually, it's misfiring like my dad's old Buick-
Spitting out smoke and leaking gas,
And the only quantum mechanic in town
Is off at a conference in Saint Louis.
Stranded, empty handed-
So I'm living lightly and I'm playing hard,
Dancing round the graveyard,
Dancing round the graveyard.
I passed a guy who was whistling Dixie
on his way to the North Pole-
To try and catch a glimpse of heaven, or
Squeeze some prayers through the ozone hole.
He said the universe really is lawful,
And it probably is, but a part of me isn’t convinced.
So I’ll keep stealing the night away,
And try not to leave any prints.
Stranded, empty handed-
So I'm living lightly and I'm playing hard,
Dancing round the graveyard,
Dancing round the graveyard.
The Mystery and the Horror (Spoken word)
The mystery and the horror,
They're hardly around anymore-
Been sanitized, sterilized, and stashed in a bottom drawer.
We’re afraid of the sharp side of the knife-
The edges of our lives,
The ledges we have inside.
So, we huddle together and smooth each other out-
Live on the surface of ourselves,
With our tame desires and our flameless fires.
And the mystery,
When the mystery calls,
We have our teachers and gurus-
Our spiritual books up on the shelf-
A bunch of comforting concepts
To protect us from the thing itself.
And so we live,
Half-alive.
Sure, there’s the occasional rebel,
Who wanders out past the edge of the herd.
Dressed defiantly, staring into the night, laughing at it all-
As long as the others are somewhere in sight.
But the mystery-
The mystery,
Knows us much too well.
Better than we know ourselves-
Sees right through all of this.
Just waiting and whispering,
Waiting and whispering.
But someday, if we’re ready-
If we’re truly ready,
It will take us to the realm of transformation-
Of trials and tribulations-
Through valleys and forests,
Past prisons and palaces,
And finally, to face the horror.
It’ll lead us to the room where darkness dwells.
The discarded hopes and dreams,
The corpses and smells-
It’s the den of monsters and madness.
Whatever your terror, it’ll find you there.
And it’s no longer you that you see in the mirror.
It’s like distinction itself disappears.
Virtue and vice are closer than identical twins-
You swear they trade places when you look back again.
Just confusion and chaos,
Confusion and chaos.
Then suddenly, there’s a strange calm
And you think maybe it’ll be okay.
You turn back towards the door,
Take a cautious step, and fall through the floor.
Falling into the mouth of the darkest darkness,
For what feels like forever-
It leaves you defenseless,
Stripping your senses.
And still, you’re trying to taste
The thing that’s swallowing you whole,
But down here, it's all gotta go.
And when you've given it up-
Given it all,
Yourself and your soul,
Your belief and your doubt,
Something catches you-
Breaks your fall,
Raises you up, and ushers you out-
Leads you out into the light like you’ve never seen before.
And you have this feeling that you can finally live-
For the first time you feel like you can finally live.
No longer afraid of the day or the night,
Of death or of life.
Though for that you need the mystery,
And you have to face the horror.
But they're hardly around anymore-
Been sanitized, sterilized, and stashed in a bottom drawer.
We're afraid of the sharp side of the knife-
The edges of our lives,
The ledges we have inside,
And so, we live-
And so, we die.
