2.1662 : 11/20/09 : Day Brings

In over your head
missing the old days
slave to simple vices
damned by faint praise
things are too complicated
never time to really think
always well aware
of how bad your shit can stink
I won't figure it out tonight
I won't figure it out tomorrow
however hard I push my pennance
it won't save me a lick of sorrow
bring it all upon myself
saw it coming far away
read the writing on the wall
jumped right in it right away
and found I was in over my head
knowing old days are long lost
and every day brings its own worries
and every day brings a harder frost

what

2.1661 : 11/19/09 : King Folly

Perhaps the root of the king's problem
was that he could express but one sorrow
to find words for all the other pain
he had no recourse but to borrow
Like the keys to the Kingdom
arrayed at intervals along a chain
the daring to unlock all hidden heartbreaks
the daring to reveal the ugly stain
Oh King Folly oh the half created
world of stories killed mid sentence
Oh dear denizen of night there is a
gulf between shame and repentance
there is something in this court
a real spirit words with meaning
I fear it gets recycled daily
lost in the gloss of the daily cleaning
So are you going to open up
do you even know just how?
If not then what King Folly
and when then if not now?

what

2.1660 : 11/18/09 : Crystal

What happened when the lens
became crystal clear and -oh God -
what I saw appear
the things I had to drop
and just stop
no explanation or goodbye
and that was tough
because I am a standup guy
now it feels like crystal
is inside my head
illumnating nooks and crannies
I thought safely put to bed
a real long time ago
turns out it wasn't so
If the dream exploded
and fell back to earth
And its husk put on a stick
and subjected to mirth
forgotten in a box
pushed back on a high shelf
If it's looking beaten up I've got
no one to blame but myself

what

2.1659 : 11/17/09 : Exhausted

The hopper on this

time machine is

wholly exhausted

there might have been a point

some time ago

you know I lost it

No space to get fancy oh no

No time to get cute

the hourglass is busted and

we’re barreling

right down the chute

what

2.1658 : 11/16/09 : What to Do with a $10 Gift Certificate to Walmart

Principles are great

but hunger’s real

think about not having enough

think about how you’d feel

Spend it on food 

give it to the poor

ignore the big picture

strangely you feel you have more

A thousand dilemmas

who can guess what’s really right

it keeps me guessing

it keeps me up all night

I’ll make the great chart

I’ll figure it out

the devil will be damned

it’s going to be a god damned rout

I’ll be here again

none to tweak the circumstances

a thousand and one hours

makes a thousand and one chances

forget about what you read

in some old moldy book

I’m going to make the video

that makes

everyone want to buy

the Book

what

2.1657 : 11/15/09 : Tribute

Tribute to the end of endings

tribute to the wasted chances

whatever it takes who knows what I’ve got

stand back I’m keeping the strange romances

I’ve got a grain of optimism

At a crossing I refuse to kill it

Half a surprise I’m happy enough

Now whatever flows I’m going to spill it

Maybe now I’ve jinxed the magic

Gone lukewarm and ripe for spitting

Go go go for whatever’s going

better get while the good is getting

what

2.1656 : 11/14/09 : Book

4,213 : 27 ?

It doesn’t seem to be

in a book or a magazine

and it’s been so long since I felt

like a smooth machine

running for a purpose

built for function

long lost miles past

the last known junction

So what is there

worthwhile to write about

words for words sake

nothing but dissent and doubt

nothing but frustration

angry and a long face

couldn’t be duller

couldn’t be a dumber place

to try to create

conditions I might just know from a book

maybe never real

maybe I’m afraid to take a look

maybe they were all right

maybe my highest perception

was always delusion

from the moment of its first inception

what

2.1655 : 11/13/09 : Haste

Harried to haste

and must heed

time’s right and I’m

riding a rough steed

but I don’t mind and it’s all good

I’m all about willing

and immune to should

what

2.1654 : 11/12/09 : Good As New

Could anything make me good as new

Was new all that good anyway

Was there some ideal point I drowned in the late night smoke

How pointless is it to think this way

What’s eating me from the inside

what’s bolixed up the pipes this time

what keeps me from singing pure

from chasing down the obvious

fearing final failure or just a missed rhyme

Good as new good as new what a lovely idea

no meaning behind it a slogan to chant

some stuff I read said it’s maybe the afterlife

but if the science comes through maybe you want to recant

There’s no flush out no nano-resurrection

I suspect things will stay dull and continue

I’ll get old like any other, suffer for my

self neglect, for abusing the machine

Something I read put a thought in my mind

wouldn’t you really like to be good as new

Be a kid again but wise like I am now

What a silly wasteful daydream it’s true

what

2.1653 : 11/11/09 : Dare

Do I dare to look

at random chance I engineered

I know I won’t believe

what in a soft credulous

moment appeared

a moment of daring just

is not enough

And I guess that its detritus

will be scattered along with

all the other stuff

what

2.1652 : 11/10/09 : Real Life

I don’t know why I do things anymore

Still evade the obvious

Still ignore wide open doors

an old way passed away but

nothing arose to replace it

and as far as I can tell about what’s going on

I can’t face it

We can’t get it together

we can’t deal with real life

I thought the future would be so cool

now it’s the present and just more strife

And the now-present future’s future

doesn’t look so hot these days

maybe that’s just middle age

or the way everyone pays and pays

want to believe I didn’t wait too long

who really knows, no guarantees

maybe I should just play after all

leave real life to the birds and bees

what

2.1651 : 11/9/09 : Streak

When I realized my mistake

I cursed a blue streak

if you enjoy schadenfreude, pal

Well peel the lid back and take a peek

what

2.1650 : 11/8/09 : Behind the Curtain

I can’t stop looking

behind the curtain

though nobody has been

back there for years

the chair at the switchboard’s empty

and I’m fairly certain

it’s down to random chance

when that giant head appears

It says nothing anymore

it just stares down at you

until it fades like

evening sun

a mocking silence left

it’s almost daring you

to ask it for help

like you’re the chosen one

and there’s nobody here

no not anyone at all

to tell you how to do

the magic to get home

somehow he rose up and out

left you to take the fall

left nothing behind but

riddles in a dusty tome

what

2.1649 : 11/7/09 : Put An End

I’d like to put an end to something

there’s so much left going on

I’ve got to pick and choose and be circumspect

and think hard about what’s already been and gone

In the hour of my revival when I

run up to the front of the tent

i might turn around and shout April fools

Man I’m already saved so you all get bent

I’ve got mine and still want more

damn me for a greed-headed jerk

I want it all without the weight of fame

Without the burden of chance or the pain of work

I know I’m crazy drowned in dumb daydreams

I don’t know what the hell my problem is

there’s serious stuff going down out there

So many a man would love to trade my life for his

So many pointlessly denied so much

I’ve got so little right to complain

Yet it doesn’t make a difference if I feel bad

So why the hell should I sign up for pain

I’d like to put an end to something

but nothing important is mine to end

and that’s one way I guess I’m just like you

the same wind going to make us both bend

what

2.1648 : 11/6/09 : Breaking Lord Midnight

I almost became the

one that I fought

and that irony was

palpable I thought

with barely moments

to set the thing right

I committed myself

to breaking Lord Midnight

My star didn’t ascend

my path wasn’t made plain

I was washed out and weakened

by sickness and rain

but I slogged anyway

to another high tower

to confront the great lord

of the witching hour

I said oh Lord Midnight

I have to break your spell

well he twirled his curling mustache

and said well well well

kid it’s not my magic

that keeps you in thrall

and you may break me but

it won’t solve your problems at all

that’s as may be

well you may be right

So I said to the retreating

back of Lord Midnight

I guess I better learn some

new songs and dances

with nothing left to break

I’m really taking my chances

what

2.1647 : 11/5/09 : Doing It Wrong

Not lists not systems no not

any sort of thing that can be written down

Shoulda been bold and stopped there

So sad now you’re guaranteed to end with a frown

I want a quick fix oh

but I’m doing it wrong

I’m doing it wrong

but I’ve been doing it so long

not a quota not an experience

you can’t pay to attend a seminar

you might as well watch teevee for two weeks

you might as well pass out in a bar

I want a quick fix oh

but I’m doing it wrong
I'm doing it wrong

but I’ve been doing it for so long

Go back and start all over

nothing new there nothing new there

figure out how much you can take

because you’re going to have to take all you can bear

I want a quick fix oh

but I’m doing it wrong

I’m doing it wrong

but I’ve been doing it so long

I want a quick fix but

I’m doing it wrong

I’m doing it wrong

but I’ve been doing it so

long

what

2.1646 : 11/4/09 : Crush

Something nasty

to get the juices flowing

Something rotten and wrong

a little crush

harmless imagined

nobody damaged

nobody the wiser for my rush

a little weaker

a little set back

locked up in this room

fetch me a rag

bleach in a bottle

fetch me a dust pan and broom

I can’t seem to be at midnight

the night’s evidence I flush

stretching the hour a little longer

avoiding all thoughts

of my crush

what

2.1645 : 11/3/09 : Elevating News

Don’t give me anything

but elevating news

I’ve had enough  of reason

had enough of blues

tell me a joke

something to warm my heart

it probably can’t fix this affliction

but it may be a start

send me pictures of cute animals

dressed up as people

I’m going to raise an LOL flag

up my steeple

I’ve hadn’t seen it myself

I would not believe it was true

Take a look at this high Master

grab your own celestial venue

once I’ve mastered optimism

I will hang out my own shingle

run my hands over the cards for you

till something starts to tingle

when you have my elevating news

all the great stuff you have in store

you’re going to be hooked instantly

you surely will be back for more

what

2.1644 : 11/2/09 : If You Hurry

Don’t compare yourself to the other one

don’t compare yourself to anyone

It isn’t worth a thing to worry

And it’s a place you can’t get to if you hurry

while you were making 15 it’s one through twenty

rust and weeds were fighting it out on the horn of plenty

now that you’re back don’t waste any more time

You’ve got a long while still left in you prime

There’s no harm in acting as if everything happens for a reason

it might just help you understand each change in season

no surprise they’re throwing roadblocks in your way

you best believe I will smash everyone today

I should have known well I was sick and I was tired

I will not hurry I’ll just push till your bid is retired

And get on with getting over the latest affliction

And you will hear me speak unhurried an

with perfect diction

what

2.1643 : 11/1/09 : Intercession

Failing belief in material intercession

It seems likely I’m saddled for the long haul

And it’s unseemly to complain about minor affliction

but it prefigures the reaper and his gory maul

but it prefigures the the horrifying world

no protection from pitiless chance

no intercession and a horrifying world

don’t expect praises, don’t expect to dance

I could be coughing away my life here

wouldn’t make any difference, I’d be in the same

boat with you

I don’t know it that’s a mark for or against you

I don’t know I can make any sense of what you do

And I reckon I’ll survive this one just like the rest

hell I used to do it sucking up smoke

but I’m leaving it up to you to come up with an argument

that the lack of intercession doesn’t make you act

kind of a joke

what