From The Rise Of Fall

what once was the trailhead is paved over in gold
the millwright and woodshaper look like they’ve seen a ghost
you can pawn away humanity to see how them dice’ll roll
but can’t buy it out of hock once it’s been resold
foreign sight, forward line
by first light of the day
turn a lock, turning clock
stash the lot away
why would i trust it all to you?
i saved my life to pay your dues

what once was the bread of life is now reduced to crumbs
with no holes carved in our fife and no skin on our drums
you can lead a life of celibacy, you can barter off your passion
but you can’t divy up mercy and want back one lump sum
warring hearts, warning shots
while worn in lies await
thirty large and forty yard
in fifty year I saved
why would i trust it all to you?
i saved my life to pay your dues

what was once a treasure hunt is now a treasury
pensioneer, profiteer, a life promissory
why would I trust it all to you?

you say the green of my eyes changes whenever we part
henceforth, they’re curse to remain, the blue of a used car
green light a total rewrite of timelines as you see fit
soft facts that won’t overmatch the strength of your narrative
i won’t let it stand it in your way
i’m quietly stepping aside
i won’t let it stand in your way
i’m better off taking
the high road again
the high road again
you feel left off at start
but it’s made right in the end
the old high road again

last night, your squire came by
enquiring of where you sleep
some lied and others denied
but i told him everything
young mare at the height of her prime
as spry as a springtime breeze
trots off and took him away
to swamplands of treachery
i won’t let it stand it in your way
i’m quietly stepping aside
i won’t let it stand in your way
i’m better off taking
the high road again
the high road again
you feel left off at start
but it’s made right in the end
the old high road again

it’s a shame to see you now
after all the fog has dulled away
with the moon gone void
at the southern node of fate
we were once set with stars
a traveling exhibit through the dark
we would glow yellow and
throw off a lover’s static

there is no last endeavor
never again shall myth ascend
where you are
up there in the fabled
tangle of stars

who’s fighting for you now?
who will draw a bow at my conceit
with a belt cinched tight
and a pair of hounds at feet?
a correlation is visible
the gods of night will surely intervene
for i fell from favor
no one can help me back up

there is no last endeavor
never again shall myth ascend
where you are
up there in the fabled
tangle of stars

don’t be fooled by rumors that run around
believe my eyes, they never looked astray
though barely do they matter now
we’re out of time, a move must be made

so never tell another soul
no never, little did we know
that all the while we were caught in the wild
it’s time to back away now
so never let anything show
no never, little did we know
that all the while we were caught in the wild
it’s time to back away now

a tattle tale’d and a whistle blown
but i hold my faith, the secret will be safe
you could be stretched out beyond form
burned over hot coal and never show the pain

so never tell another soul
no never, little did we know
that all the while we were caught in the wild
it’s time to back away now
so never let anything show
no never, little did we know
that all the while we were caught in the wild
it’s time to back away now

the fight has left our hearts
the breath to fan a flame
we formed a whole picture
from peaking through a gate
but you had to be on my side
and I had to hesitate
now both of us are lost

so never tell another soul
no never, little did we know
that all the while we were caught in the wild
it’s time to back away now
so never let anything show
no never, little did we know
that all the while we were caught in the wild
it’s time to back away now

we are the smugglers who must hide undercover
we draw the borders that define a landowner
the nation we recognize unrealized in our time
we will not see ourselves as wrong

he’s the detonator, just an aggravator
common misbehavior
to capture the brief notice
of the world

we are the remnants of a past turbulent sense
we are the penance for our war adolescence
celebrity verified, radical be decried
we will not see ourselves as wrong

he’s the detonator, just an aggravator
common misbehavior
to capture the brief notice
and recapture the primal hiss
of the world

well i walked smack down
through the thicket of a crowd
thicket of a crowd
buzzing around her hive
there’s a direct route
that nobody else has found
no one else has found
and come back alive

only time can track the trail we forge
only time can clear the undergrowth
only time can mark the twists and turning
only time

she’ll round that bend
then she’ll swing open her door
swing open her door
and fly right on by
though I’m not sure when
I’ll be there to hop aboard
there to hop aboard
and not get left behind

only time can cut the trail we forge
only time can clear the undergrowth
only time can bring us one stop closer
only time

bee liner
express economy rider
bee liner, straight shot
always know the way to my heart

we will cross time zones
but will never make a stop
never make a stop
or even slow in speed
through the lost zip codes
where there’s no commuter jobs
no commuter jobs
for a worker bee

only time can cut the trail we forge
only time can clear the undergrowth
only time can bring us one step closer
only time

bee liner
express economy rider
bee liner, straight shot
always know the way to my heart

pointed beams of cathode ray
synthesized to simulate
or to poke the precise recessive trait
at the width human eyes will dilate

a poison berry potent drop
diluted in your teacup
but ignore formula and folk wisdom
any recipe will stay in your system

new lost life
our rush to fall apart
career highlight
and tranquilizer dart
whether it’s right or wrong
whether it lasts the whole night long
whether it spells our end
or whether i’ll find you once again

saturated electric
somewhat get the full effect
but i can’t hold a candle to that flame
only call the essence by another name

new lost life
our rush to fall apart
career highlight
and tranquilizer dart
whether it’s right or wrong
whether it lasts the whole night long
whether it spells our end
or whether i’ll find you once again

we’ll not notice… as it begins… to take effect

portion size under control
a poison berry swallowed whole
and a study on view
for dear life i’m glued onto you

he came on a boat
now routed by plane
we find a home
where another turns away
before you go on packing
listen up

what accent to hide
what words will translate
we can’t go on
and it won’t just go away
this sort of thing must be confronted
don’t just say goodbye to jacky
say goodbye to you and me

minority rule
suspicion and doubt
he knew our place
is on the inside looking out
first to put a foot down
and say no
he stood for beliefs
somehow, vilified
we changed our law
and he vanished from our sight
it’s like the whole thing never happened
don’t just say goodbye to jacky
don’t just say goodbye to leave
don’t just say goodbye to jacky
don’t just say goodbye to you and me

one hand there to clench
one hand there to guide
a hand to lend
and a hand to push aside
only came together
to wave goodbye

in my heart of hearts, where I take no stance
I will lay my troubles down and accept guidance
yes i know this fight has gotten out of hand

By October 1st, all the days turned cruel
the horizon stared at me like a sinking fool
i would dream my boots could trace out a plan
but wake to doubt where each next step should land

in the dollar book from the goodwill bin
i was warned something was wrong I had not dealt with
like a stray i fumble towards some abandoned sound
a long forgotten call homeward i found
was my heart of hearts

from the rise of fall to the cold’s exile
we cremate our hopes for warmth in a scrap wood pile
and our parting words will end in mistrial
spoken with no thought of a denial
for our heart of hearts

minute hand, travels slow
a exact distillation to grasp
often lost, mutable
piling each one on top of the last

hour hand moving fast
hurtling towards a new storyline
open book, cardinal
but the wind turned the page, not I

two drifting orbits adjoin for a moment
to travel together and separate
never to happen again
wait for me then

second hand stuck in place
ever fixed in position to keep
us from the passing of time
memory retrograde
to retrace its eternal design

two drifting orbits adjoin for a moment
to travel together and separate
never to happen again
wait for me then