needle in the groove

science and math can give you the symptoms
package them up in numerical systems
1 2 3 4 ... buildings, bridges, autos, jets
tiny telephones
giant tv sets
none of which can simply answer
how the cure’s become the cancer

fax the blue
search the internet
no one’s found the answer yet
if the poet doesn’t know it
at least he’s got the balls to still wonder why

even gravity is taken for granted
the idea died when the word got planted
but who on earth can really say
i know why the sun rose today
only a jesus or a fool
knows why the oyster turns out the jewel

text the blue
sex on the internet
no one’s found the answer yet
so liberate that high tech mood
and put the needle back in the groove.

plastic fish

trade in your eyes
see past your face
blow up your chest and suck out your waste
swallow the myth and regurgitate
examine the bile but ignore the bait
plastic fish swim in shallow water

skimming the surface of a superficial lake
lost in conversation watered down and fake
why go too deep beyond fashion and time
just float on the waves like some shipwrecked concubine
plastic fish swim in shallow water

when his sun shone and you started to melt
cosmetic tears for a childhood that you never felt
you thought he was your father come to save you from the sharks
until side by side he led you into his fisher price ark
plastic fish flounder in the shallows
plastic fish float like marshmallows
plastic fish swim in shallow water
superplasticficial

San Antonio

black strap shoes left by the accelerator
who’s driving who off the tracks
this can’t be no accident
i know that she wants them back
dipping down deep in the valley
pass by her trailor alley
one last time maybe
pressing my luck baby
up against our weakness
this forbidden drive
burning fast bourbon like gasoline
this forbidden drive
one hundred miles an hour all through my blood stream
this forgotten drive
feels like déjà vu from a dream
dirty roads throwing up magic dust
i can see true love and i can see lust
i got someone waiting for me
why can’t i just let it be
because this ain’t about no rescue
anyway i could never be anymore
than another hot summer’s teardrop
lost in a cheap texas downpour
this forgotten drive
burning fast bourbon like gasoline
this forgotten drive
one hundred miles an hour all through my blood stream
this forgotten drive
just tonight and I’ll finally walk free.

Anything's In The Dark

In the soft glow of the street light
Day turns to night
Always

Voices gospel spinning bottles
Kissing listening
Always

Sweet songs release
The moment’s peace
Anything’s in the dark

Beyond reality and Memphis Tennessee
Something is shining in
And I can almost see

Watch and wonder
Spell I’m under
Main Street gleaming
Always
Dreaming awake
Until daybreak
Anything’s in the dark.

Kazuko and Mizuki

Kazuko shook a piece of paper
Wrinkled it up with ink
Random strikes trickling down
The most magical waterfall.

Mizuki plucked a string plank
All the way back to Edo
Rapier plectrums
Slicing sweet sakura melodies.


I wrote this in the car on the way back from seeing Kazuko Mukoyama and Mizuki Hamada - masters of Sume-i and Koto respectively. Both together are like wine and cheese.

Musical Crayons: Primary Swirl Color #1

whipped cream clouds
with butterscotch sun
in a fire engine sky
reflecting off a new shiny copper penny
sitting on top of the satin blue jacket
paul mccartney wore on the cover of Sgt Pepper.