Already There

She sits beside the window
  and stares into the night
   I ask if she'd prefer the porch;
     she smiles and says she might

She's lost inside her own world, progressed beyond my own
I'd ask if she needs company
but I think she'd rather be alone

Inside she begins to let go
  the pressure she felt no longer grows
the wind inside her mind begins to blow and blow
  leaves me far behind 
and takes her far away

Reflecting in her eyes
   I see a star that flashes
     I'd ask her if her dreams are there
       but too quickly the moment passes

At last she breaks her silence, the wind now in her hair
and so I ask her where she'd go
if she could go anywhere

'maybe to the mountains, maybe to a fair
maybe to the islands
or maybe
I'm already there'

Today her eyes shine brightly
   on her sweet face there's a smile
      but the front porch and the evening sky
        still call to her
once in a while

Weary World

The world is a weary place

I can't imagine
waiting
for a bus that might bring
my child

from a shooting scene
or might not

survivors arrive
victims don't

the world is weary
so much pain
too much numb reaction
so much trouble

Jesus told us there would be trouble in the world
and here it is
looking at us in the face

Little Blue Candle

Little Blue Candle are you scared?
Is your wick a little frail?
Little Blue Candle I don't know where 
you go to tell your tale

Are you afraid of wind, Little Blue? 
are you afraid of wind?
Are you afraid of boys, Little Blue?
boys with wishes again?
Are you afraid of the cat, Little Blue?
the cat's afraid of you!

Little Blue Candle, up so late
sweeping with your flaming broom
Little Blue Candle, illuminate!
keep the darkness from my room

A puff of smoke, Little Blue --
smoke means that your tired
Standing brave, Little Blue; 
or are you a little liar?
Are you afraid of the night, Little Blue?
the night comes just for you!

Little Blue Candle, melting down
your flame turns into air
Little Blue Candle, stick around
I like to see you there

Sweet and Young

Sweet and Young
do we really know what we have done?
sweet and young
so far to go and we've just begun

now it seems like forever
but we've only known you for awhile
and every time I look into your eyes
I see a familiar smile

sweet and young
you're the star that's turned my life into a shining son
sweet and young
so far to go and you've just begun

now your ship is sailing on the sea
and the wind is blowing easily
and we're not where we used to be
but we're still free...

M-O-O-N, That Spells Moon

Don't it make you tired to think about the moon?
It has so much going on
and everybody's watching
It's gotta come up every day
not just for a working man's life
but every day for hundreds of millions of years

(you are so beautiful, you're like a movie star to me!)

Don't it make you tired to think about the moon?
What's with the dark side
the side it never shows?
I think there's a lot more to know about the man-in-the-moon
what's he hiding? 
come on, I dare you, look at me!

(you are so beautiful, set over the sea for me!)

Don't it make you tired to think about the moon?
All those rings? 
   no, that's Saturn
Little green men?
   no, that's Mars
The big rear end?
   no, that's Uranus!

(you are so beautiful to me...)

Don't it make you tired to think about the moon?

Yes; so let's    go    to     bed

The Little Zoo - (a little dream)

Ring, ring, my telephone rang
a fish came to my door
a little toad was in the road
a star was on my floor

Sir, sir! the young fish said 
a bee is on my back!
I said oh my, would you like me to try
to put it in a sack?

The little toad dodged to and fro
and hopped up to my house
he came inside and then he tried
to eat that bee, the louse!

The star said leave that bee alone
he's a beautiful creature of God
if you would eat him as a treat then
on you bigger things will trod!

Ring, ring, my telephone rang
and a man came on the line
my little zoo has gone have you
seen any little sign?

When I awoke I was alone
but a bump from a sting arose
I smelled like fish and made a wish
to get rid of the wart on my nose.

Walter and the Mechanic

Walter walked into town

saw a mechanic sitting down

smoking a cig, taking ten

on the edge of the curb, scraped arm on the mend

Walter thought, 'look at that man.

Someday, God willing, maybe I can

have a job, take a break

have something to live for besides this wandering

for wandering's sake'

Then the mechanic looked up

from his sugar-coffee cup

saw Walter standing there

shoes united, clothes askew, streaks of something? in his hair 

The mechanic thought, 'look at that man.

Someday, God willing, maybe I can

walk the world, face the sun

have something to live for besides my everyday

get-this-day-done'

He squinted at Walter with grimaced lips

Walter stood there, hands resting on his hips

(for this was the mechanic's smile

and basically Walter's 'I'm thoughtful' style)

eyebrows raised, Walter thought

'that man thinks I'm an idiot and ought to be shot'

The mechanic stared back, thinking his own thoughts

'that man thinks I'm lazy and now I've been caught'

(he could be introspective if he wanted to be

and he liked to project, self pity-ing-ly)

awkward and alone

they both stared for seconds at each other's bones

Then Walter turned south

a dryness in his mouth

put his right foot out first

looked down the street for relief

from his thirst

the mechanic he rose

brushed the ash off his clothes

kicked his butt to the street 

and like all times before

beat a languid retreat

Two men and a moment shared

neither one knew the other one cared

community builds, isolation defeats

the thoughts in your head

are like Walter's lost streets