telling stories with a maglite, face glowing like embers
remember, they said, because its early november
but vindictive villains don’t know what hit ‘em
like a ventriloquist, i speak without moving my lips
these line are written, more scripted than hollywood
play your part, cash out, watch the flame burn wood
until the coals no longer entice the cold
and shivering, left you there amidst your goals–now too old
see the scene, where you once held your dreams
and your parents beam, and this made you happy
you seek to be meek, but swell up with your own fame
glorify the sights that light up and scribbles your own name
take hits from the bottle, hints from your bible
hints from your friends, hits from your rivals
check your ropes and your cables, monitor your vitals
check ‘em in an hour–see if you’re alive still


and i am still glistening,
ears to the sky, perked up, listening
unclean like some forgotten seam
wondering what is happening
but i still fight, no right turned left
left behind like i spilled my craft for the last time
spelled out in the sky, there the stars align
and jupiter, mars, and venus are reflected in your eyes
i see my future, my past, my right now
with a ruffle of your brow, you ask me how
i knew who you were, knew how you ticked?
it’s easy, i replied
see, you’re not so different from me
different face, different mask, yeah, even different dream
but you still want to be seen past your skinned knees
this is a love song i hope you’ll learn to sing


“This is a love song, sing it to me”


like a fiend, stealthily crawling and creeping
we watched as we became this one thing
you sang a love song to me, and i listened
and i sang one to you, and you sang along
you kissed my scars, then gave me a couple more
i kissed your lips that led us to the floor
we understand that this is how we heal
we understand that this is how we’re real
take hits from the bottle, hints from your bible
hints from your friends, hits from your rivals
check your ropes and your cables, monitor your vitals
check ‘em in an hour–see if you’re alive still
see, you’re not so different from me
different face, different mask, even different dream
but we still want to be seen past our skinned knees
this is a love song i hope we’ll learn to sing


“This is a love song, won’t you sing it to me.”