2.331 : 3/30/06 : Seven Ways to Say Goodbye

I wouldn’t sit down
or take off my sunglasses
I wouldn’t give you
advice about your nursing classes
I wouldn’t speak to you
Speak to you at all
I gave you a hug
but said I probably wouldn’t call
and I didn’t
I knew it when I left
and you stayed behind
I knew it when I finally told you
what was really on my mind
But you my dear
though there are seven ways to say goodbye
I find that I still stand await
the Pleasure of each reply

what

2.330 : 3/29/06 : Hygiene

The clean sweep
the clean slate
has already begun
I’m so glad
I’m so proud
that you are here to see it son
when my millions
open up their mail
and find their piece of soap
they will know
at long last
I have finally twisted
myself enough rope

what

2.329 : 3/28/06 : Gatefold (2)

What does double mean these days
of megabytes and pods
is the digital gatefold
infinitely folding out
the holy names of God?
What does album mean these days
that paradigm is cashed
believe me you’ll remember
where you were
the day that market crashed
the gatefold’s just a memory
retro package for hipster fools
media may all be born new
but this double album rules

what

2.328 : 3/27/06 : Gatefold (1)

Photo of the famous bridge
photo of the band
photo of the unlit stage
on the gatefold’s left hand
legend of the stellar show
legend of the rift
is there magic in our fractures?
is mortality a gift?
when I look at stones and eagles
at lead balloons and kinks
I see our ends are part of us
no matter what the optimist thinks
the moment’s where it’s always at
a few snapshots remain
to be scattered ‘cross the gatefold
to commemorate the train

what

2.327 : 3/26/06 : Pass

2,519 : 2 ?


I should remember better
supposed to be the worst of it
but I remember too well
all the other supposed to have beens
can’t I get a pass
of about a year
and a half
make my choice
and run
and run
and run
seems that all I have is this
I think I never had anything else
and yet I feel like I miss
seeing what
was and
could never be made ever
it’s such fun
it’s such fun
it’s such fun

what

2.326 : 3/25/06 : The Real Test

Maybe the day after next
is the real test
am I the lowest of the low
or the best of the best
am I so fucked up
so near yet so far
Could I make it by ship
could I make it by car
by train or by airship
surely not by the book
just what difference is there
between hook and crook
Don’t recall day two no
or indeed the one after
I wrote my three mark to
paid no heed to cruel laughter
we do the work me must
whatever time we get
it don’t work on paper
how it does work’s a secret

what

2.325 : 3/24/06 : Destination, Departure

I’m about fed up with
following the rules
yet here I am
back again on time
with nothing
still I try to please you fools
a little story time
a little ditty sure
a little dream sublime
I guess it’s pretty pure
and at the end of day
left with a hollow ache
the hole is back again
the whole thing may have been a mistake
here’s your destination
departure started
right after nothing
and for all the broken hearted
it’s just an interlude
pulling out of the station
no matter good or bad
no maker just sustained creation

what

2.324 : 3/23/06 : Pretty In Between

Avoid the grim thought
avoid the dim thought
There’s a pretty in between little
pick and grin thought
There’s nothing wrong at all
with feeling sentimental time to time
call this a triumphant launch
And tear right into the haunch
feast it up because
tomorrow we might
trade it all for another crack at
the big pantomime
And I’ll keep telling stories
as long as they keep it
pretty in the in betweens
when we’re busy living
or getting busy dying
whatever you think that means

what

2.322 : 3/21/06 : Stoic

My day will come
probably not long
the purpose of the stoic
I’ve been listening to the whining
of the elected classes
don’t think of it as heroic
it’s time to yank their passes
but you won’t

what

2.321 : 3/20/06 : The Monk

The purpose of the cowl
is to obscure intent
the purpose of the surplice
is to get you entry to the tent
the purpose of the monk
is to dwell on God
and the purpose of this madhouse life
is a topic that’s too broad
if that’s not too much a copout
For some stupid daily song
Sometimes they get away from you
and this day has been hellish long
consider only
the image before you
Widow’s peak cowl
black arches hide the eyes
the hands are in their sleeves
or are they?
What’s that creeping up behind?

what

2.320 : 3/19/06 : Sad Sad Song

2,512 : 1 ?


When you musta known the end was coming
not abstract but like a cancer on a slide
You wrote such a sad sad song to remember
it by back in the day so wide
You said that it was like a jewel
it shone so brief and brightly
but from where I sit on my stupid seat
the thing just didn’t seem to end rightly
and you wrote such a sad sad song
just to say once more so long,
And after even the memory
of the thrill was gone
still sometimes you’ll catch yourself
humming along

what

2.319 : 3/18/06 : Chaos

I think I’m spinning
order out of chaos
but it’s all local
temporary
I thought I’d pinned down
all the sidetracks that betray us
but I’m just as blind as any
when the bogeyman gets scary
the little twist of order
that defines my rootless matter
is just a moment’s mirage
an anomaly
and long after the me is gone
each particle will scatter
I guess that’s all there’s to it
guess that’s all of my homily

what

2.318 : 3/17/06 : Seven Days

Day one light and dark
solid the opposite of chaos
the opposite of static, spark
day two continents and sea
I’ll seize the high ground
if you’ll just create it for me
Day three
all stars in the sky
something for to look up longing
always ever passing us by
day four every growing thing
who’d guess some would cause such problems
who knows maybe they started the whole thing
day five, creatures of land sea and air
probably should have stopped
it would be so peaceful out there
day six boom we make the scene
some say chicken some say egg
I say the division’s clean
day seven every work must cease
crashed exhausted maybe
the closest thing we ever got to peace

what

2.317 : 3/16/06 : Politics

Politics
it’s not a coincidence
that it follows on the heels
of insanity
I can’t resist
pointing out the inanity
this is all there is to it
power hungry fools
drive the lever of
contentiousness
to pry up dupes
to make them tools
and if you want to
fight with me
you will be disappointed
that’s absolutely
all I have to say
I guess it’s always
been disjointed

what

2.316 : 3/15/06 : Insanity

The definition of insanity
is
doing the same thing
over and over
and over and over and over and over
and over and over and over and over
and expecting
different results
every time
everybody’s got a little
everybody’s had their spell
of drifting in the buzzing clover
haven’t they haven’t they
haven’t they haven’t they
haven’t they haven’t they
I miss those days I do
I surely do
they were sublime

what

2.315 : 3/14/06 : Job

The depth of misfortune
we must bow that it exists
It lurks in inventories
deadly dull lists
the stories told by family roles
and dim remnants of scarcity
the past erases all regrets
and casts the human tragedy
in dead exquisite reels of yarns
set to an aching hymn of joy
fit to set us back to dance
and all illusions lost destroy

what

2.314 : 3/13/06 : Three (2)

Listen, lovely
just you give me
three more chances
and I’ll get it right
three more chances
yet tonight
the rest will be flawless
according to plan
and I’ll tell you all about it
when I can
the first is just a thought I once had
the words were loaded still I managed to feel glad
about the second
I knew somehow would come
all I had to do was
ask for some
and the third will pass
unnoticed and sly
leaving just a feeling
that a greatness passed you by

what

2.313 : 3/12/06 : Sea Boil Up

2,503 : 0 ?


Now atlantis time come poised
balanced on a pin point
I’m gonna play this pipe like a bad mofo
and rock up the everloving joint
Looks like I got some time of my own
to tell it like I see it a
privilege
I pull my load and I hitched my wagon
and I’m planting it right on the edge
I’m going to sit and watch
the sea boil up below the cliffs
I spent the whole week dropping beats
and rolling monster spliffs
And when I hear that roar that
slither shimmer skank
Listen who I memorialize
listen who I thank

what

2.312 : 3/11/06 : Worse Than Thought

Get it through your head
it’s worse than you thought
what you let pass unheeded
what you sleepwalk shopping bought
and we’re all gonna hafta
work so fucking hard to not
get caught
up in the wave that’s
gonna sweep in
hard upon the east

what

2.311 : 3/10/06 : Mr. Sunshine

I’m always smiling and my grin is stretching ear to ear
I always get to where I’m going
and I’m glad to be here
I never wanted anything wasn’t already mine
the natives call me angel eyes but
my friends call me Mr. Sunshine
I may be something like a week behind
but I’m not stressed at all
how can I worry ‘bout the schedule
when I’m having such a ball
I’ll keep it short ‘cause I’ve got
miles to go before I sleep
I’m getting all I ever wanted and
each thing I get I’ll keep

what

2.310 : 3/9/06 : Stupid Fly

The spider seems hardly
interested in the fly
as it flits and buzzes
and passes by
when it hits the web
like an electric shock
when the struggle starts
watch that grave cradle rock
watch me spring
right into action friend
once I see my idea
drive it right to the end
So if I seem to let
a lot pass me by
I’m just waiting patient
for the next stupid fly

what

2.309 : 3/8/06 : Five Times Three

Five times three
since the last free choice
of work at least
guess at least my voice
is sort of free
is sort of mine
but it’s more than for
free speech I pine
the right to be silent
may be all I’ve got
If this storm turns violent
If I’m rooted to the spot
If I lose my thread
my thread again
just need my daily bread
and once more begin

what

6 years, 10 months, 4 days

Which brought me today to the composition of song number 2.2500, marking one quarter of the way along to my goal of 10,000 consecutive lyrics written in as many days.



what

2.308 : 3/7/06 : Sort

Sort by size
priority
sort from first to last
from you to me
sort by date or color or weight
sort by magnetic field strength
can you relate?
Sort by index of refraction
sort by order
in the chain reaction
sort by relative
proximity
starting with absolute zero
and so on to infinity

what

2.307 : 3/6/06 : Yell at the Television

The vessels burst
and now the worst
is past
And why should I
regret the guy
has passed
Only for my youth I weep
I learned a lot but the price was steep
but I’ll not collapse in a heap
before my line I’ve cast
a distraction
from reaction
that’s all
current events
and circus tents
next fall
I guess I’ll watch the circus all right
yell at the television up all night
just to be sure we lost the good fight
I hope I’m wrong but that’s my call

what

2.306 : 3/5/06 : Precede

2,497 : 36 ?


Each soiled card
soft edges torn
that has been lain
to precede this morn
Spelled a riddle
a game of chance
disguised as plans
shook by circumstance
it’s always new
it’s always now
I’ll do a Captain Willard
on your sacred cow
You can’t help what precedes
affecting what shall follow
but if you’re resigned to fate
your anthem must ring hollow
Who allows it fate leads
everyone else she drags
I try to keep one step ahead
and don’t unpack my bags

what

2.305 : 3/4/06 : Deep

Locked in depths of deepest night
the backtrack sideline no respite
It seems at best a day or two
and all the bold pronouncements true
are put on hold and filed again
until next I take up the pen
But though I see the deeps afar
and wonder wonder where you are
till human voices wake this sleep
I will remain transformed so deep
can’t help the chasm that’s inside
and all I shunned or try to hide
but I’ll not glorify the beast
I’ll last another day at least

what

2.304 : 3/3/06 : Roll

Everything that gets around
must roll
Everything that separates
must pay the groundling’s toll
because it goes both ways
and what will not converge
will never rise
Everything half-round must rock
It’s not about style or pretty talk
maybe the world is flat on one side
why don’t you all move
to that flat high rise
And let us roll
the rest of us roll
Lost will be found
and the gaps made whole
so step back
or put your back
into this roll

what

2.303 : 3/2/06 : Perfect Moment

This perfect moment
mine or his or both
is brought to you by Giant Shoulders
the truth to which I pledged my troth
the music playing that I never heard
music is Savior
the player said
he’s eating quiet noodles
while I spin a couple off my head
not in that sense
I’m stone cold sober
High on this perfect moment
casting every old day over

what

2.302 : 3/1/06 : Next March

I’ve become
or have I always been
obsessed with transformation
the exact moment to begin
I know it’s corrosive
eat your stomach right away
What I began for tomorrow
was behind by yesterday
But on my next march
there’ll be no compromise
on my next march
they’ll call me angel eyes
I’m going all the way
all the way up to the top this time
No ghosts are left now
left to judge or stop my climb

what