I WILL MEET YOU THERE
seven more hours till i can take a shower at your place
i can kick off my shoes we’ll go boozin’ smoochin’ hootin’ the night away
yes and i will meet you there
i will meet you there
i will meet you there
as the miles fly by i’m thinking how you’ll smile when i get there
with your legs round my waist, you’ll bite me on the neck as i breathe your hair
a
e
i
o
u
–
WHEAT BREAD
the seven grain organic wheat bread is covered with mold
screw the gas bill, i’ve got blankets for when it gets cold
if we sit by the window, the internet’s free
let’s lock our bikes to the no parking sign,
’cause i like the irony
hey jason pour us some doubles
let the weekend begin
and if all goes right, by the end of the night
we’re eating gyros and cheese sticks in our beds
sometimes when we go to parties
we know the people we see
other times we take over the kitchen,
and just drink for free
if we buy a cup of their coffee, the internet’s free
maybe I should go back to college, grab another degree
and in the mornings it’s coffee
and in the evenings it’s beer
and if all goes right, by the end of our lives
we’re still twisting again like we will this year
–
THE COBBLER’S BLUES
what were you doing when they changed the sign
from larry’s into señor buckeyes?
i was with the girl i thought would be my wife.
what did you do when the money went away?
what did you buy and how did you pay?
your grandson wants to know.
if i never meet the man who makes my shoes,
how will i know the cobbler’s blues?
and now which shoes should i buy?
if you think that you would be a happier guy
if you changed your place or you changed your time,
remember it’s all in your mind.
i can’t change yesterday, but i can change today.
you can believe the news isn’t true
and everything will go back to “normal” real soon,
but thinkin’ about what’s gone will get you down.
well i don’t mind if you don’t mind
and if you don’t mind then i don’t mind
and if that’s fine, please pass the wine.
i can’t change yesterday, but i can change today.
now that we can do anything, what do we do?
–
HOLIDAYS
of course she brought the macaroni salad
and there’s the uncle who’s always at the grill
there’s a heated game of bocce in the distance
as the aunts discuss the colors of their hair
and the younger cousins are running round in circles
chasing who or what nobody can quite tell
as the older ones are gathered where they keep the beer
saying words about the weather or the game
’cause when you only see each other twice a year
you don’t grow close, you only grow old
but even if we’re faking it,
it’s better than a holiday alone
now it’s time for grandpa to remind me about jesus
’cause that’s who saved him from his drunken haze
as he proudly leads the prayer before we cut the meat
while we pretend we do this every day
and the aunt who probably will not be here next year
is telling me don’t ever get divorced
and maybe next year I’ll meet her replacement
to whom I’ll say the same things as before
–
RUN AWAY WITH ME
it’s been almost a year since you asked me out
and i don’t mind saying
that since then we’ve been quite happy together
but now you’re going after that second degree
in a brand new apartment
in a brand new city nine hours away
and i can’t decide if i should quit my job
and leave my friends and follow you anywhere
it’s enough to make a man pop the question at hand,
half out of love and half out of fear of being alone
because by the time my parents were
the age that i’m now
they had stood in a church and said
“till death do us part,”
but they’re still alive
and even though i don’t think we should
take the plunge, i do know
that i don’t want to lose you
take some time and run away with me
take some time and run away with me
before we get old and wear elastic pants,
let’s give ourselves a summer of pure romance
so please run away with me
but i chose to stay and you chose to go and i’m still in that apartment
you used to call home, but now you don’t
and yeah, “the new roommate’s cool” and
“how is school” and
“of course i think about you sometimes when i’m alone,”
like i am now
and though the friends are fine and we have some fun,
i’m tired of going to their weddings alone
–
THE GODS OF ROCK AND ROLL
OVERWORKED: so what do you do, boy?
ANDY: i play my guitar!
OVERWORKED: no, I mean on the weekdays,
the career that’ll take you far
ANDY: well it seems, old man, you’ve missed the point
i am not my job
so if i sang a song would you sing along to The Gods of Rock and Roll?
OVERWORKED: but what about new tvs?
ANDY: i’ve got my windows!
OVERWORKED: then how could you be happy
without these fancy clothes?
ANDY: why, if i get holes in my old clothes
i’ll give those holes a sew
and if i sang a song would you sing along to The Gods of Rock and Roll?
ANDY: so what do you say, old man?
OVERWORKED: well i like this here guitar…
ANDY: so learn yourself a few chords,
keep blowin’ on that harp
OVERWORKED: well it seems, my boy, you might have a point
this feels good in my soul
so if i sang a song would you sing along to The Gods of Rock and Roll?