The young boy walked on through the park

His mother close behind

But then he took off swiftly, though

She knew that she would find

Him standing at the Cenotaph

Saluting, ramrod straight

He did it everytime they passed

No matter what the date

He knew that is was honorable

A place to honur those

Who died defending what was right

And every time he froze.

Each time they went to ride the swings

He ran ahead to stand

He did it, and she was proud he did

Though he didn't understand

A silent sentinel...piegeon perch

Memorialized the dead

There were pigeons all around it

And two piegeons on the head

But Billy didn't mind the birds

In fact he liked to say

The piegeons are the soldier men

Who can no longer play

He always walked around all sides

Always looking for the names

Of his father and his uncle

Bill and Randy James

They were taken by an IED

Though that meant nothing to Bill

But each time that  he found their names

He then saluted and stood still

He knew that they would not return

Although gone, their names were here

He saluted them each time he came

Of the pigeons, he'd no fear

This silent, solemn cenotaph

Was a place he loved so much

Although he couldn't see his father

His name plate he could touch

He knew that his saluting

Made his mother's heart strings sing

After his silent hello to his dad

He could go play on the swing...

Old Jim

"I'm grateful for the company

....sit down and I'll make tea"

"It's not often people visit

but, with the cat, us two make three"

He's hiding somewhere here

He's always there abouts

I just have to watch the doorway

I don't want him to get out

We listen to the radio

Can't afford to have TV

It's really not a loss though

Since I now can barely see

Time it takes it toll on you

A little more each day

I wish there was a little pill out there

That helped keep time at bay"

"There's the kettle, whistling"

I'll be back with our fresh brew

The cat won't drink it with me

So I'm only making two

I looked around the little room

All the drapes were closed up tight

It was sunny out and midday

But inside, it looked like night

There was one light in the corner

More for guests than Uncle Jim

HIs life was based on order

This room just wasn't him

"Here's the brew my boy" he said

"As he came back and sat with me

I watched him...two steps forward

One left,  then forward three"

He put the cups down gently

Didn't spill a single drop

He'd memorized his pathway

He knew exactly where to stop

"I've got biscuits, if you'd like"

"Some Hob Nobs from back home"

"I break them out for company

"They're too good for me alone"

I said that I would get them

and I exited my chair

He said they're up on top

But I'd never reach them there"

He came and got a grab stick

He poked and grabbed them from the shelf

He said "This things a lifesend"

"I'd never get them by myself"

We sat and talked for hours

Talked of sports and music too

He said that with his failing eyesight

There's really not much he could do

"It's saved me money someways"

"And cost  more in others though"

"But now that I'm not driving"

"I no longer shovel snow"

Jim, worked hard for forty years

He was a foreman in the mine

He'd been working round the coal for years

In fact since he was nine

He used to run small errands

From the office to the men

He lied about his age though

Jim told them he was ten

He'd retired back five years ago

When it got hard to breathe

"It was all I ever knew boy"

"I didn't want to leave"

Tons and Tons of coal dust

Must have filtered through his lungs

He was  dying slowly daily,

It started showing on his tongue

Small spots appeared which spread real quick

He started treatment right away

He knew the doctor would relieve him

Of his job, reduce his pay

"you know boy, there's a tale they tell"

"of birds down in the mine"

"when the birds fall off the perch stone dead

"Then we men have little time"

"We have to get out quickly

"For the bird has shown our fate

"But think a bit, the gas got him...

"So for us ...it was too late"

"We didn't really watch the bird

"We listened for his song

"For when his voice was laboured"

We knew it wasn't long"

"Dead birds...they meant dead miners"

At this my body jolted

"It;s like shutting up the old barn door"

"Even though the horse has bolted"

I finished up and said to Jim

I had to catch my bus

Jim said, "ok young man, be on your way"

" Now, it's just the two of us"

"You'll be back soon, I hope" he said

I said , "I sure will try"

"I like our little visits"

As he sat there and he sighed

"Just me and Tilly now" he said

As he saw me to the door

Stay safe my boy and oh....

He said "There's one thing more

"when you get on home...please phone me"

"It will make this old heart sing"

"Just phone me up and when you do...

"Let it go for just three rings"

I said I would, "but why three rings"

I asked, not four or five

"Three rings" he said's our signal

"In the mine....that you're alive"

I left and headed homeward

But first I'd stop of at the mall

Then I went home right directly

And I then gave Old  Jim his  call.

I Believe

.



I believe a butterfly

Can stop a baseball game

I know, because I've seen it

And it really was a shame,

I believe a simple housefly

Can stop a moving train,

I believe single piece of dust

Can also make it rain

I believe in every mountain

There's a pebble on it's own

I believe that every grain of sand

Is a pearl that hasn't grown

I believe that Father Christmas

Is quite real and in your heart

I believe that you can finish

Every task, if you just start

I believe, like Charlie Bucket

There's a golden ticket to be found

I believe that a tree that's in the forest

When it falls, will make a sound

I believe in every mountain

There's a pebble on it's own

I believe that every grain of sand

Is a pearl that hasn't grown

I believe that love's forever

But the one thing about this

I believe forever's infinite

And it may just last a kiss

I believe to stay together

That one's trust, it must be earned

I believe you jump into the fire

Before you know if you'll get burned

I believe in every mountain

There's a pebble on it's own

I believe that every grain of sand

Is a pearl that hasn't grown

I believe that a strong handshake

Will seal a contract, so I've heard

I believe one's reputation

Should be based on a mans' word

I believe that there is wonder

In everything that we may find

I believe that life is better

When you can have an open mind

I believe we're just a heartbeat

In the timeline life has spanned

I believe that every person

Is an ungrown grain of sand

I believe in every mountain

There's a pebble on it's own

I believe that every grain of sand

Is a pearl that hasn't grown

I believe....

It was known just as "The Tree"
It was on the fence line of Jade Ranch
And on the wizened, hardened oak
Was a limb, known as "The Branch"

On the branch hung seven ropes
Of seven different lengths
Depending on the sentence
They chose one of seven strengths

Now a posse and a lynch mob
Are two completely different groups
You may always end up hanging
But through two different loops

Get caught with someone else's horse
By someone from on the ranch
Then you'll face Western Justice
And end up hanging from "The Branch"

Western justice it was called
And lynch mobs had a thirst
To see you hanging from "The Tree"
If you didn't meet the Marshall first

Get caught with an extra ace
You'll be called out as a cheat
You will never make "The Tree"
You'll get gunned down in your seat

But, have a horse, that's not your brand
And a lynch mob's soon around
Western Justice will prevail
With you ten feet from the ground

You'll sit upon the horse you stole
No one hears your weak defence
One slap and the verdicts in
You'll hang on the ranch side of the fence

Shoot a man in town and you
Will end up in the local jail
But, shoot him where the Law is not
And Western Justice will prevail

Seven ropes of different lengths
Take a man on to his death
Once the horse is slapped to go
No one will hear your last breath

There's a lynch mob and a posse
You don't know just how close they are
One does what they think is right
One feels the same, but has a star

"The Tree" is there in waiting
For the next rope to be strung
If you aren't caught by the Marshall
From "The Branch" you will be hung

i fought for my country defended my flag
i'll do what i must to support that old rag
i don't drink craft beers
that just ai'nt my bag
i'm just an old outlaw at heart

if there's a chance i will take it
give me a choice and i'll make it
i speak the truth , i don't fake it
i'm an old outlaw at heart

Rules to be broken and highways to ride
I can do both without breaking my stride
I show you one face, but deep down inside
I'm an old outlaw at heart

I'm just a truck driving black hatted man
I defend my beliefs the best that I can
I belief in the flag that flies over our land
I'm an old outlaw at heart

I'll tell you my truths, like it or not
You may not like it, it's the best that I got
I know the pledge of allegiance, each dash and dot
I'm an old outlaw at heart

The city makes my heart beat change
To a speed I can't endure
I start to sweat and I can't breathe
To me there only is one cure

I have to leave the city life
Leave the commotion far behind
I've got to hit the country
For that is where I'll find

I have got a hillbilly heart
It's beats in banjo time
I have got a hillbilly heart
Out here, I feel just fine

City roads, and shopping malls
Get me riled and confused
I go home feeling *****
I go home feeling used

I've got to get away from here
Or I will lose my mind
I've got to hit the country
For that is where I'll find

I have got a hillbilly heart
It's beats in banjo time
I have got a hillbilly heart
Out here, I feel just fine

I have got a hillbilly heart
It's here that I belong
I have got a hillbilly heart
And it sings a bluegrass song
I have got a hillbilly heart
And it sings a bluegrass song

I'm not one for these new times
I guess I belong in the past
Time once went by slowly
Now, it goes too fast

I don't know facebook
I don't tweet
In fact I don't know what that means
I belong in yesteryear
When men still cuffed their jeans

I guess I'm just an old school fool
An old school fool, that's me
I guess I'm just an old school fool
That's what I'm proud to be
I guess I'm just an old school fool
The good times now are gone
No one wants an old school fool
I guess that I will just move on

I don't get the music now
There's no song I like to hear
I'd rather sit and read a book
Or watch tv with a beer

Technology is far beyond
What my mind can take in
I do not use an atm
Because I do not know my pin

I guess I'm just an old school fool
An old school fool, that's me
I guess I'm just an old school fool
That's what I'm proud to be
I guess I'm just an old school fool
The good times now are gone
No one wants an old school fool
I guess that I will just move on

In between the day we met
we shared smiles, we shared tears
There were lots good times baby
That we had over the years

In between our fighting
We were both on the same side
But the rift that formed between us
Is now just too **** wide

In between the In betweens
Is where the memories lie
In between the In betweens
Is where love goes to die
In between the In betweens
was something....
something we will never have again
In between the In betweens
was magic....
Magic can't take us back from now to then

In between our arguments
We really had a time
We made the best of it
We were partners in crime

In between the excuses
We hid a lot of hurt
Once we said I Love You
At the end...nary a word

In between the In betweens
Is where the memories lie
In between the In betweens
Is where love goes to die
In between the In betweens
was something....
something we will never have again
In between the In betweens
was magic....
Magic can't take us back from now to then

Cherish all the in betweens
For that's where true love lies
But, beware of all the in betweens
For it's where love also dies

If I could put the words together
To tell you how I feel about you
I would wrap my arms around you
To tell you I love you

But, I guess I will just search forever
To find the words to put together
And some days I just feel I'll never
Find the words that say I do

The words are in me somewhere
I just hope one day I'll find
A way to put to paper
What is written in my mind
The words are in me somewhere
They're somewhere in my head
I just hope I get them out
Before I end up dead

I wish that I could say my thoughts
as easily as others do
And get the words together right
And make my thoughts sound new

If I could form a sentence, then a phrase
that tells you how I feel
I'd write the words I love you
And the feeling would be real.

I can't remember when
I asked you to be mine
I have lost that memory
Somewhere in my mind

I can't remember when
You said to me "I do"
I have lost that memory
It's only known by you

I can't remember things
I'm always at a loss
I have lost those memories
But, I don't know at what cost

I can't remember when
I last said "I love you"
I have lost that memory
Each day is all brand new

I can not remember who I am or who you are
I look up into the sky, and can't wish on a star
I know that I once loved you, but my mind won't go that far
I don't know who I am or who you are

A singer sings of love in song
But, I can't sing a note
I try to sing, but it sounds wrong
But, you must hear what  I wrote

I don't have much to give to you
But, I think I'll make a start
By writing down that I Love You
And by giving you my heart

I can't sing to say I Love You
But , it's for you ,And for you I'll try
My tears have blurred the words I'm feeling
And I will until I die


I can't find the notes and words
There's no music backing what I say
It's a lyric that will not be heard
Until there's music there to play

An empty page with dots and dashes
Missing from the story told
In my mind, the cymbal crashes
Making all I write seem cold


I can't sing to say I Love You
But , it's for you ,And for you I'll try
My tears have blurred the words I'm feeling
And I will until I die

I remember growing up with Mum
I had so many "uncles'", though I don't remember one
She said that she loved us lots
though we really never knew
Just what was there for two young kids to do

Apartment blocks and trailer parks
these were home till rent was due
Then we pulled a runner in the night
Running off was nothing new
When times got tough we made a move
I don't think she really tried
She told us that she loved us lots
But deep down, I think she lied

I've been running on this road
Though I do not know what from
Something deep inside me keeps me
running on and on
I can not say just what it is
That leads me down this road
It's just something deep inside me
Something hidden, I don't know

Stepping over bottles in the living room
Stepping over bottles in the hall
Scorch marks on the old **** rug
Numbers written on the wall

An ashtray full of last nights dreams
The light is filtered through the haze
It's almost time to run again
I step through the bottle maze

I've been running on this road
Though I do not know what from
Something deep inside me keeps me
running on and on
I can not say just what it is
That leads me down this road
It's just something deep inside me
Something hidden, I don't know

One day I will find my way
But for now, I'm running hard
I still sleep with one eye open
My mind is always keeping guard

I remember broken bottles
And the dust lit by the sun
Scorch marks and the phone calls
It means it's nearly time to run

I've been running on this road
Though I do not know what from
Something deep inside me keeps me
running on and on
I can not say just what it is
That leads me down this road
It's just something deep inside me
Something hidden, I don't know

Nothing screams like silence
You can hear it in our house
You left, but never left me
But, to me ....you're not my spouse
Nothing screams like silence
You can scream, but no one's there
It shows you in our marriage
That no one really cares

We've been a part forever
Though you never left our home
We've been apart forever
We're a pair, but, both alone

We've been a pair for sixteen years
You left, but, stuck around
A tree fell in our forest
And it never made a sound

Nothing screams like silence
You can hear it in our house
You left, but never left me
But, to me ....you're not my spouse
Nothing screams like silence
You can scream, but no one's there
It shows you in our marriage
That no one really cares

Leading separate lives each day
But, no one really knows
We're actors in our marriage
Each day, a brand new show

We've been apart forever
Though we both did choose to stay
We're actors in our marriage
And our marriage is a play

Nothing screams like silence
You can hear it in our house
You left, but never left me
But, to me ....you're not my spouse
Nothing screams like silence
You can scream, but no one's there
It shows you in our marriage
That no one really cares

I love you to the moon and back
Babe, I love you to the sun
I knew from the first day we met
You were the only one

The only one that I could love
The only one I need
I love you to the moon and back
Babe, you're the only one for me

Almost half a million miles
Filled with tears and filled with smiles
I love you to the moon and back each day
I love you and that's how it's gonna stay
I love you and that's how it's gonna stay

We Were Over When we Started

©21 June 2015 Roger Turner & whitney Rix Victory II



You know, I should have seen it from the start,

Because we were over when we started,

Oh baby, That was plain for all to see,

And the only one who didn't see it,

From what I now know, was the lovestruck me.

I don't know why I could never see it.

Guess it was the fear of my breaking heart.

You know we were over when we started.

And baby, the signs were there to show me,

To say that we would never ever last.

Oh baby, why was I too blind to see,

While, you only talked about your past,

I always talked about our future,

Joke's on me, we'll never have that future.

You know we were over when we started,

And now I am more than broken hearted.



Oh baby, that forest I couldn't see.

The trees were just too thick I couldn't see.

Hidden in the woods, thorns my heart to *****,

What I'd one day find would make me sick,

The breakup I was never ready for,

I wasn't ready to fall anymore.

You know we were over when we started,

And now I am more than broken hearted.



Everyone around me told me to leave,

I should be aware for I would soon grieve,

The love that I held locked in my heart,

In yours, it just wasn't there from the start.

Any compromise was missing you see,

There was no chance love was our destiny.

You know we were over when we started,

And now I am more than broken hearted.



It was always your way or not at all,

As your harsh, heated words I now recall,

So now, I've learned to look around me,

And learned not to fall so hard and fast

I've learned to take my time and maybe,

The next time I'll find something that will last.

You know we were over when we started,

And now I am more than broken hearted.



I guess that we were no good together,

And through my tears, I seem to know that now,

You taught me what to look for I gather,

So, you could stand up, take a final bow.

And nevermind I'm drowning in my tears,

Only memories remain from our years.

You know we were over when we started,

And now I am more than broken hearted.



You know we were over when we started,

And now I am more than broken hearted.

I'm a better person now forever,

Even though you broke, tore apart my heart,

I'll admit we were no good together

Blind me, I should have seen it from the start.

You know we were over when we started,

And now I am more than broken hearted.

Listen to the winter wind
Hear the cold on nature's breath
Get inside before the moon
Or you will surely catch your death

There's nothing for protection
When winter wind comes through
It's nature against your will to live
You'll lose, that much is true

The desert is a harsh place
With heat that matches hell
But the cold you feel in winter
Will do you in, so fast as well

It's a land of extreme harshness
A place where you can surely die
It's a place so full of beauty
It's enough to make you cry

In summer you are melting
In winter frozen hard
You may ask why I stay here
The answer's easy pard'

I live here for adventure
I'm a cowboy through and through
I share my life with Mother Nature
I guess, it's just the thing I do

I'm gonna die here in the desert
But, not because of winter wind
I'll die here for one reason
So I can come back again

The desert, she recycles
Takes what's here back home
I'll die out here in the desert
But, until that time....I'll roam

Can't Ask To Get Salvation

© 12 June 2015 Roger Turner

& Whitney Rix Victory II


V1/ You can't know where you're going,

If you don't know where you've been,

Can't ask to get salvation,

Not if you haven't sinned.

Your intentions are showing,

I've known it since way back when.

You're asking for salvation,

Your destiny is penned.


Ch/ If you want to have a life,

A life, a life of substance,

Have to get on out and play,

If you want to have this life,

Take a chance and make it dance!

And you have a choice today,

Can't ask to get salvation,

Not if you haven't sinned.


V2/ Now I'm not sure where to go,

I am not sure even though,

Said you'll light the way to go,

Still you're not sure where to go.

Tarry around to the end,

Speak of things you can't defend.

Can't ask to get salvation,

Not if you haven't sinned.


Ref/ Can't ask to get salvation,

Not if you haven't sinned.

You're asking for salvation,

Your destiny is penned.

Mysterious Angel

©10 June 2015 Roger Turner & Whitney Rix Victory II



I'm in love with her, but I can't even say her name,

I'm in love with her, but I don't even know her game.

So in love and I always feel, I feel just the same,

I'm in love with her, but I can't even say her name.

Mysterious Angel, my mysterious angel,

So are you the angel, who's come down here to save me?

Mysterious Angel, my mysterious angel,

So are you the angel, the one who's gonna save me?



No, I can't tell her because she might let it all end,

Oh no now, I can't tell her, she might want to be friends,

Part of me's broken, she's the only one who can mend,

No, no, I just can't tell her, can't tell her in case it might end.



Mysterious Angel, my mysterious angel,

So are you the angel, who's come down here to save me?

Mysterious Angel, my mysterious angel,

So are you the angel, the one who's gonna save me?



I can't even tell you just how I fell so in love,

And I think she's an angel from the stars up above,

I don't know how, I don't know how, I fell so in love,

To me she is an angel, she's an angel of love.



I can't tell her, can't tell her, no, in case it might end,

I can't tell her, can't tell her, she might want to be friends,

Part of me's broken, she's the only one who can mend,

No, no, I just can't tell her, can't tell her in case it might end.

The posters said tomorrow
At eleven on the dot
The Mishkin Brothers Circus
Would be here ....on this spot

There would be no carnival or midway
Just one tent and three rings
And all of the excitement
That a good old circus brings

There would be elephants and lions
Trapeze artists overhead
Dancing dogs and ponies
And zebras painted red

Clowns of all description
Answering to just one man
In the center of the circle
Was Mishkin brother....Dan

He'd run the show for twenty years
Gone from town to town to town
In one day they would get set up
And in two, they'd tear it down

One day to show the locals
The circus still was an event
With magic, form the Barnum Days
All housed inside one tent

The sideshow barkers and their geeks
Were not with this fine group
Dan Mishkin had assembled
Only the finest circus troup

From Russia he had jugglers
Knife throwers, just the best
******* riders from Decatur
Along with all the rest

Fourteen trucks and trailers
Pulled into town the night before
Breaking ground once they arrived
Working right through until four

Just old time entertainment
No travelling gypsy band was this
It was the Mishkin Brothers Circus
It was something not to miss

The show was started promptly
At twelve o'clock, like the sign said
A parade of all the players
And the zebras painted red

Two shows and it was over
The whole routine began anew
The field was once more empty
Gone was the Mishkin rolling zoo

A year from now, we'd see the signs
And we'd all go to the tent
To see the Mishkin Brothers Circus
The best money ever spent

Of all the places
I have been
This is the strangest
That I've seen

It is called
The mixed up zoo
where the animals
Just will not do
Exactly what they're supposed to do
That's why it's called the mixed up zoo

Imagine lions in a tree
Not where they're supposed to be
A giraffe who is afraid of heigts
And bats who will not fly at night

I saw a goat who did not bleat
And then I saw a wool less sheep
A zebra who was blue and green
The strangest place I've ever been

I saw a duck who did not quack
I even met a talking yak
A turkey who could really fly
A hyena who would  only cry

Geese that croaked like giant frogs
And chickens who would bark like dogs
Elephants with ears so small
You would think they couldn't hear at all

I saw a horse who would not run
In all the day was really fun
Monkeys who could really sing
A snake who bounced just like a spring

It really was a crazy place
I laughed so much I hurt my face
If there is one thing you must do
Come and see the mixed up zoo

When I am all grown up
There's lots that I can be
A million different choices
And the choice is up to me

I can be a fireman
And drive a truck all painted red
I can work inside a kitchen
And make sure that folks get fed

I can be a sailor
And sail from sea to sea
I have a million different choices
And the choice is up to me

I can be a teacher,
and teach children to write
Or I can be a singer
And sing on stage each night

A footballer, a builder
or a worker in a zoo
It's up to me exactly what
job that I will do

A dancer, or a dentist
A scientist or vet
It's up to me and no one else
What kind of job I'll get

A painter, or an acrobat
A lifeguard on the beach
I can be an astronaut
And to the stars I'll reach

I can be most anything
There's lot's that I can be
There's so much for me out there
The choice is up to me

I can drive a race car
Let my imagination soar
This is just a short list
There's a million, million more

I can be most anything
There's a lot out there for me
For I am just beginning
And there's lots that I can be

An astronaut, a soldier

Sitting at the table
Cards have all been dealt
The direction of my future
Lies before me on the felt

I'll play the cards before me
I have to go all in
If I do not take the gamble
I guess I'll never win

I'm a dollar short of holding
I'll ride the highs and lows
I'm a dollar short of folding
I guess that's the way it goes
I'm a dollar short of holding
I'll ride the highs and lows
I'm a dollar short of folding
I guess that's the way it goes

The cards can tell your future
These cards tell mine so well
A dollar short of holding
It's my fear I smell

Do I bluff and risk my losing?
Do I fold and walk away?
The lord, he hates a coward
*******, I'm gonna play

I'm a dollar short of holding
I've got to go all  in
I'm a dollar short of folding
With not gamble, I don't win
I'm a dollar short of holding
It's up to me, just how I play
I'm a dollar short of folding
To live to see another day

Star light full of silver
Moon beams laced with gold
I'd give you all I gather
For you just to behold

Flecks of gold in sunshine
Silver steaks upon the sea
I'd gather all for you to have
If you would be with me

Gather up the silver dust
Gather up the gold
Gather up the moonlight mist
I will offer up my soul
Gather up the silver dust
Gather up the gold
Gather up the moonlight mist
If you once I just could hold

Emeralds and ruby gems
From rainbows in the sky
I'd gather them for you as well
For you my dear I'd die

I'd mine for diamonds in the night
From the stars up oh so high
I'd gather all if you would be
The one for which I'd die

Gather up the silver dust
Gather up the gold
Gather up the moonlight mist
I will offer up my soul
Gather up the silver dust
Gather up the gold
Gather up the moonlight mist
If you once I just could hold

Behind all of the glamour
Hidden by the glitz
Under all the spray on tans
And distracted by the ****

Lies a Vegas like no other
Not the one you wish to see
The other side of Vegas
Has a cost, it isn't free

A parade of homeless people
Far off strip are daily seen
Heading for a bed and meal
Away from where the grass is green

The locals all accept it
It's a darker part of town
Where there's fewer painted smiles
On this Las Vegas clown

Every other building
Is boarded up or framed
In steel bar covered windows
With no winners at the game

The goal of all the walkers
Is to get to the next day
They can't afford to leave here
They can't afford to stay

Each walkway full of hawkers
Selling water for a buck
Passed out drunks all sleeping
Hoping you will toss a buck

Some saints and many sinners
Came to find the life they lead
Is not the one they looked for
When they came here to fill their greed

Don't look behind the curtain
You will not like what you will find
The darker side of Vegas
Is not one that's in your mind

A parade of desperate people
Walk the streets each night alone
Past the empty buildings
Pass the bail bonds, guns and loans

To truly see Las Vegas
You have to venture off the strip
Into a world of darkness
And in truth, it's a short trip

Behind the glitz and glamour
Away from where the tourists go
Is the dark side of Las Vegas
That only few will ever know

Behind the pomp and circumstance
The celebrations and parades
Remember those who battled
The platoons and the brigades
Take some time to think now
Of the freedoms we possess
Of who fought the battle
Those who didn't second guess
Respect the soldiers duty
Give thanks to those who served
A handshake and a smile
Is worth a thousand words
It might be a long weekend
That many now will never see
Think of them this weekend
And give their life some dignity
Now, go and have a hotdog
Ride the float in the parade
Enjoy the fireworks exploding
Have a Happy Memorial Day

A darkened bar
An old guitar
A stage that once played host
To all the Delta greats and now
to Robert Johnson's Ghost

An old man
His spitting can
A boy from up the coast
Learning how to play the blues
In the home of Johnson's Ghost

You gotta feel the music boy
You sure don't feel too much
Your fingers skipping half the notes
You're playing double dutch
Slide it, let the music meld
That's what folks all want the most
You got to feel it, yes sirree
Like Robert Johnson's Ghost

Five hours passed
Time went fast
But what he learned the most
Was feel the notes
That were wrote
By Robert Johnson's Ghost

The spirit has to fill you
You have to suffer for the blues
You can't come in and play for us
In shiny, brand new shoes

The old man
his spitting can
Made the young boy cry
He played the notes
That Johnson wrote
on the day that Johnson died

Until you feel the music boy
And stop playing double dutch
You got to slide the fingers son
Don't use the guitar as a crutch
Remember where you're playing
And to who it still plays host
You're playing for the netherworld
And Robert Johnson's Ghost

The big day was a week away
The streets were being swept
Folding stands erected
Where homeless, last week slept

To make a good impression
The Mayor told one and all
To step up and take note
To answer his loud call

We must show the whole country
We are the best at what we do
We have to show the country
The best side of me and you

This meant weeks before this
The police were out in force
Removing the imperfections
Both on foot and out on horse

A cleansing of the city
Make it nice for all to see
It brings up bitter memories
At least it does to me

It happened back in Europe
A little corporal took command
He did his little cleansing
With his little **** band

The town had hung up bunting
Like the banners in Berlin
being homeless is a problem
It's not where a cleansing should begin

The mayor had plans for plenty
Marching bands and lots of press
He'd only answer pre-set questions
In case it all became a mess

He had to have it perfect
It was his first parade you know,
the streets were freshly steam cleaned
There was nothing he didn't want to show

The displaced folks all huddled
Down in the park, a mile back
Veterans and soldiers
Whites, Hispanics, and some black

Their town was in transition
They were the cities hidden sore
They would never be accepted
Never let inside a door

The Mayor stood on the dais
Waved and smiled as folks went by
It was a town of smoke and mirrors
He showed the world a great big lie

Like the small Austrian corporal
who refused to change and would not bend
The Mayor lied to his country
It was the beginning of his end

The firelight was fading
The shadows grew in size
In the distance if you listened
You could hear the faintest cries
Of coyotes and of timber wolf
Signalling the end of day
Howling at the growing moon
Keeping night spirits at bay

The last piece of the sagebrush
Was burning to it's core
The flames that danced as quicksilver
Now, they danced no more
The fire, once was blazing
It's flames a dangerous height
Was now a nest of coal chunks
to warm us through the night

Four days out and three to go
We'd be in two days ahead
The scheduled trip with this years herd
And we'd be back in our own bed
A smaller group of beef this time
But, that's the way it goes
At least we'd leave the mountains
Before the early snows

Coffee from the morning meal
Was still sitting in the ***
Two minutes in the embers
And it was steaming hot
The first round of watch was up
And the coffee was re done
The second watch, for wolves and things
Needed coffee and a gun

Two went down the first night out
We heard the wolves, but missed them all
They'd been following us for three days now
And at night you'd hear them call
They signalled that the day was done
And that the herd was staying still
The darkness was their element
It was time for them to ****

The fire was near finished
The flames were all but smoke
but that cup of cowboy coffee
put life into this old grey cowpoke
If the wolves kept at a distance
And just kept howling at the moon
We'd lose no more beef tonight
And be home two days from noon

The fire spit and crackled
The night was damp and cold
The stars were silent beacons
To the wolves so quick and bold
We heard them in the distance
Howling loud as if to say
Will you make it through till morning?
Wait until we come to play.....

Gonna be a rough one
Weather moving in
Time to mend some fences
Before it's too late again

Horses loaded for a week
Got my son with me this time
We haven't really talked in years
I guess, the fault is mine

Time to mend fences while out mending fences
Just me, the dog and my son
Time to mend fences while out mending fences
Before my time here is done
Time to mend fences while out mending fences
Of all I regret, it's the one
Time to mend fences while out mending fences
Before my short time here is done


There's a chill in the air
And it isn't the wind
It's the tension I feel
between me and him

I pushed him away
And now, I need time
To fix what i've done
The fault is all mine

Time to mend fences while out mending fences
Just me, the dog and my son
Time to mend fences while out mending fences
Before my time here is done
Time to mend fences while out mending fences
Of all I regret, it's the one
Time to mend fences while out mending fences
Before my short time here is done

If nothing else happens
At least we'll both know
The fences are mended
Before the first snow

It's time to mend fences
and fences I'll mend
I lost not only my son
but, I lost my best friend

Time to mend fences while out mending fences
Just me, the dog and my son
Time to mend fences while out mending fences
Before my time here is done
Time to mend fences while out mending fences
Of all I regret, it's the one
Time to mend fences while out mending fences
Before my short time here is done

i learned something baby
by stepping out on you
i found your friend would do the things
you just wouldn't do

dinner, drinks and dancing
I was stepping out on you
In the end I found out why
I'm in love with only you

I vowed to love you over no one else
Our love was stale and stuck up on the shelf
I had to re ignite it, remember just why I love you
And the way I found out was, By Stepping out on you

I learned just what it was
that made me fall for you
I remembered all those things
by stepping out on you


I vowed to love you over no one else
Our love was stale and stuck up on the shelf
I had to re ignite it, remember just why I love you
And the way I found out was, By Stepping out on you

I've got to tell you baby
I love all that you do
I learned just why I love you
By stepping out on you
I learned just why I love you
by stepping out on you

Roll up...Roll up
the show is set to start
One playing for your head
One playing for your heart

It's time for an election
To see who rules the roost
Time for your selection
Who gives the bigger boost

Matchmaker, Matchmaker
make me a match
Pick me a President
Which one to catch
Matchmaker, Matchmaker
Show me a name
It's doesn't much matter
They are all the same

Roll up, Roll up
They're all set to speak
A ten minute talk
That may take all week

Choose either party
and their rainmaker head
make promises of fairy dust
You'll get once your dead

Matchmaker, Matchmaker
Show me the one
Who will unload the bullets
But, still own the gun

Matchmaker, Matchmaker
The time is now here
To pick a new President
Please ally my fears

Roll up, Roll up
The choices are few
I'm voting for one
But, I do not know who

Roll Up, Roll Up
The show's set to start
with enameled fake smiles
I can't tell them apart

Roll Up....Roll Up...

The civil war's not over
The sides are re-arranged
Those who once were allies
Now, they are estranged
The uniforms don't matter
It's now the colour of their skin
That's put the country back
To when the trouble did begin

Slavery abolished?
Have you looked outside your door?
Just take some time and ask yourself
Just who you're working for
The civil war's not over
It didn't ever end
Just watch your local nightly news
and see it's continuing my friend

America is burning
The flames are getting higher
The country's feeding on itself
Throw more fuel on the fire
Ferguson and Baltimore
are the start of the new pyre
America is burning
Throw more fuel on the fire

One percent to ninety nine
That's slavery to me
It's not just racial segregation
There's more than that to see
The civil war's not over
It's continued rolling on
It will stay there in the background
It's the country's most successful con

Johnny comes marching home again...hurrah, hurrah
Johnny comes marching home again...hurrah, hurrah
The country will be burning when he comes
From a war where no one really won
As another town burns, for all the world to see

There is no more
civil war
it's changed from days gone by
You can not have a
civil war
no matter how you try

Rules of the engagement
done and dusted
all forgot
now Rules of engagement mean
you give it
all you got

Armies lined up on the field
civil war, I'd say
Now, you push a button
and **** from
ten time zones away

Pleasantries forgotten
War's not civil
anymore
With all of our
progression, we forgot how
to have a civil war

Ok, I didn't want to do this
but there's rules that you must know
Etiquette to be followed
A line that you must toe

Listen very closely now
I think you all should try it
The things that you will now learn
About a protest and a riot

Firstly, have a purpose
Just random shouting, that's persay
If you do not have a topic
Then all the new folks go away

Throwing bricks at coppers
Breaking windows on the street
Is this a sign of protest
Or is it idiots in heat

No signage, and no speakers
Just random yelling for a cause
This isn't a good protest
Just breaking random laws

A protest has a purpose
It presents a point of view
A riot is an ugly thing
Which one is right for you

MLK could run a protest
Make a point and get things done
All without a mob forcing
A cop to use his gun

The rules really are simple
Keep the young ones all at home
For people in glass houses
Should really not throw stones

A peaceful resolution
From a protest is the goal
But a riot is just aimless
It puts the city in a hole

Victims of a riot
Are not the ones who are to blame
They're just owners of the business'
Who get caught up in the game

Next time that you protest
Protest rioting instead
It will turn out for the better
And nobody will end up dead

I can't make a living living here
It's time I shifted gears
Another factory has shut down
I can't make a living living here

No one comes in to the bar
I can't afford to pay the band
I'm not living hand to mouth
I'm living mouth to hand

I can't make a living living here
Most folks are on the move
More signs go up every day
I can't make a living living here

Windows boarded, stores all closed
There's no where here to shop
It don't matter anyway
There's no one left to shop

I can't make a living living  here
It's time I shifted gears
Another factory has shut down
I can't make a living living here

I gave the town just one more chance
I've done it fourteen times
I guess those leaving got it right
The next for sale sign's mine

I can't make a living living here
It's time that I changed gears
Some one else can sell their beer
I can't make a living living here

She was faster than a rattlesnake
She could split a log in two
She was better than any hand
I think I ever knew

She was famous all throughout the west
But, it really was a shame
She wasn't known for what she did
She was famous for her name

She could rope and shoot and ride
Better 'n any man I know
But laugh at this girl's name
And she'd hog tie you for show

Christened Patricia Bollinger
From Baltimore she came
She didn't like the term cow girl
So, Cow Patty was her name

wind is coming in
sun is just showing
horses are watered
fire is glowing

movement is starting
the camp is awake
cookie is working
there's breakfast to make

no fancy croissants
or drinks laced with toffee
this is good solid food
and strong cowboy coffee

it gets it's job done
it ain't always so nice
later on in the day
it gets served by the slice

mud, java, joe
it's got lots of names
and at each cowboy camp
it still tastes the same

grounds at the bottom
thick as coal tar
without cowboy coffee
you will not go far

eggs, beans and bacon
and bread texas thick
to wipe up what's left
and get every lick

here out on the trail
you won't find any toffee
we eat solid grub
and we drink cowboy coffee

i'm a long long way from somewhere
but i guess i'm doing fine
There's no one here beside me
The only voice I hear is mine
I'm out here on the highway
Yesterday, was so sublime
You said you  didn't love me
But I guess I'm doing fine

I'M ON THE HIGHWAY GOIN' NOWHERE
AND I'M MAKING READ GOOD TIME
I'VE GOT NO REAL DIRECTION
THIS IS GONNA TAKE SOME TIME
I'M SURE IT'S FOR THE BETTER
TO LEAVE THE SCENE OF THE CRIME
I'M ON THE HIGHWAY GOING NOWHERE, MAKING TIME

I should have seen it coming
but it hit me from the blue
I put all I had inside
Into me and you
I was in the middle of the hurricane
Doing what it is I do
I don't believe the storm that hit
was you

I'M ON THE HIGHWAY GOIN' NOWHERE
AND I'M MAKING READ GOOD TIME
I'VE GOT NO REAL DIRECTION
I'M JUST  GONNA TAKE SOME TIME
I'M SURE IT'S FOR THE BETTER
TO LEAVE THE SCENE OF THE CRIME
I'M ON THE HIGHWAY GOING NOWHERE, MAKING TIME

Yesterday I had the world, today the world has me
It's time to hit the road and start to see.....

I'M ON THE HIGHWAY GOIN' NOWHERE
AND I'M MAKING READ GOOD TIME
I'VE GOT NO REAL DIRECTION
I'M   GONNA TAKE SOME TIME
I'M SURE IT'S FOR THE BETTER
TO LEAVE THE SCENE OF THE CRIME
I'M ON THE HIGHWAY GOING NOWHERE, MAKING TIME

yesterday, i took a trip in time
i had a glass of daddy's favorite wine
i remembered how he'd give me some
smile at me, and say "don't tell mom"
yesterday i took a trip in time

yesterday i took a trip in time
i had an old song stuck inside my mind
i remembered daddy'd sing that song
even though he got it wrong
yesterday i took a trip in time

i miss him every single day
i know it might sound cliche
how i wish that he were here
just to raise a glass of beer
i miss him every single day

yesterday i took a trip in time
funny as i age, the more that I'm
thinking of the things he'd do
and doing the same things with you
yesterday i took a trip in time

yesterday i took a trip in time
it didn't cost a thing, not a thin dime
it's a trip I'm taking more and more
I wish he'd walk on through the door
yesterday i took a trip in time

i hope that one day, my kids travel too
back in time to remember me and you
how'd they'd share a memory
of something said by you or me
i hope that one day, my kids travel too

it never really mattered
she was trouble from the start
she never thought of who she hurt
she put the horse before the cart

the school was always calling
saying please pick her up again
until the day they kicked her out
when she was only ten



she was flying too  close to the sun
always thought she didn't need no one
we knew she would crash and burn
that was something she would learn
flying to close to the sun

her father and i wondered
just where did we go wrong
was she a troubled child
we couldn't keep at this too long

we split when she was thirteen
i had to put her in a home
she was always going missing
i couldn't leave her home alone

she was flying too  close to the sun
always thought she didn't need no one
we knew she would crash and burn
that was something she would learn
flying to close to the sun

i saw her on my tv set
watching nightly news
there she was, my daughter
the one i chose to lose

they said she was wanted
for robbery and more
she'd shot a clerk in cold blood
while robbing his small store

she was flying too  close to the sun
always thought she didn't need no one
we knew she would crash and burn
that was something she would learn
flying to close to the sun

my heart was broke
my girl was truly bad
because of her
i lost all that i had

yesterday i got the call
they said they found her dead
she'd hung herself in the night
that was all they said

she was flying too  close to the sun
always thought she didn't need no one
we knew she would crash and burn
that was something she would learn
flying tooclose to the sun
always flying too close to the sun

I was banging out some music
When from the dark I heard a voice
Son, if you want to make a living
Then you gotta make a choice
I heard what you was playing
That was music, not just noise
Son, you wanna make a living
You gotta make your choice

Son, pass me that there  growler
Over in the corner
Don't drop it, you'll be sorry if you do
It'll burn on through the florboards
It'll burn right on through to China
It's a wicked drink, A nasty witches brew

He said, I know you is the cleaner
You clean up when night is done
But, I've heard you from the alley
You're a bullet, shy one gun

Kid, you play piano like it ain't been played before
You're wasting your **** time in here cleaning up the floor
There's a whole world out there waiting, just go on through the door
Oh...they call me The Bluesman....before I say much more

I played some boogie woogie
something light just to begin
He said, boy...get that growler
I need some med-i-sin
He pulled up close beside me
Rubbed his face and scratched his chin
Now, follow close young player
The lesson will begin

We played for near five hours
Didn't hear the storm outside
We played what struck his fancy
We told stories, we both lied
He played that guitar so  smoothly
With the strings so loosely tied
He brought things out from deep within me
Stripped bare, nowhere to hide

You got to feel the music
Not just play it to get paid
You got to let it lead you
You got to know why it was made
The folks who made this music
From the normal line had strayed
You got to feel the music
Play it right, you may get laid

He drank most of the growler
said, son, now I need to rest
I've heard bluesman all around here
And I'd say you're second best
There only is one bluesman
And then he puffed his chest
You met him, and he taught you
It's up to you to do the rest

I finished with my cleaning
Heard him leave and go out back
Then I heard the whistle
Of the train, pass on the track
I had to choose the music
Be a bluesman, not a hack
I learned that  in five hours
I'd learn more when he came back

Slot A, Tab B,
or Square peg and round hole
finding out which one you are
is man's eternal goal
One must find self placement
Are you slot A or Tab B?
The only question truly is
Which one of them is me?
You laugh when no one else does
so, does that make you the slot?
Where exactly do you fit?
Who gets what you have got?
Until the magic moment
When Tab A finds Slot B
You wander round not knowing
If you're really, roll-up C
Now the mix is daunting
With A and B and C
A Tab, A Hole, A Rollup
which one should you be
In time all will be answered
You'll find out which you are
By then if things go right
You'll meet attachment R

Driving up the highway
When I saw it in the mist
Like a pure and tender ******
Still waiting to be kissed
A village all forgotten
Somehow time had missed
You could see it from the highway
slightly hazy in the mist

Had time forgotten this poor place
Left in limbo for all days
Was it just a trick of light and sun
Manufactured through the haze
Were the folks here ****** to stay
Out of reach but in our gaze
Or were they truly here by choice
Living old, forgotten ways

Brigadoon did spring to mind
but, in truth I thought this good
Be something better than that curse
This village protected by the wood
I pulled on to the shoulder
And tried to see as best I could
This simple town or vision
That had not aged as it should

I saw no point of entry
No way to get there from my place
It was perfect, untouched, special
A village bathed in grace
Folks kept driving past me
Up the highway at such pace
They would never see this village
In the mist as fine as lace

The village may be magic
It may be something in between
In truth all I can tell you
What I saw, not what I mean
It's a village, plain and simple
in the woods, all shades of green
Un-kissed, and yet so perfect
stuck in stasis, in between

Woke up late this morning
Wish the pain would pass
Cigarettes in the ashtray
lipstick on the glass

What in god's name happened
what did I do last night
Everything is fuzzy
It hurts to see the light

Hold that thought, I'll be right back
That's the last thing that I said
Now, here I am next morning
Feeling half past dead
Hold that thought, were my last words
From there ....I just don't know
Someone brought me home here
But, someone...I don't know

Cigarettes and lipstick
The pairing makes me think
A half a pack of winstons
And a nearly empty drink

I   am not a smoker
I  smoke what's close at hand
Right now, I'm feeling sea sick
And I'm still here on dry land

Hold that thought, I'll be right back
That's the last thing that I said
Now, here I am next morning
Feeling half past dead
Hold that thought, were my last words
From there ....I just don't know
Someone brought me home here
But, someone...I don't know

I'm gonna take a shower
Maybe that will help my head
I just don't know what happened
Or who brought me home to bed

A glass with lipstick on it
My cigarettes or not
The last thing I remember
is saying Hold That Thought

Hold that thought, I'll be right back
That's the last thing that I said
Now, here I am next morning
Feeling half past dead
Hold that thought, were my last words
From there ....I just don't know
Someone brought me home here
But, someone...I don't know

help me find the paper
with the poem i need
it's a simple piece of paper
with a poem that must be freed
i am asking for my readers
not for want or greed
help me find the paper
and what i write...you'll read

right now, there's nothing on it
it's as empty as can be
i looked inside my closet
and no paper did i see
i found one under a bonnet
but, it wasn't one for me
the missing poem might be a sonnet
can't you help me find it please

the words i have aren't in my head
it's the paper brings them out
until the pen hits paper
i don't know what it's about
once the poem is finished
i can then stand up and shout
i found the piece of paper
this is the one.....no doubt

help me find the paper
with the poem i need
it's a simple piece of paper
with a poem that must be freed
i am asking for my readers
not for want or greed
help me find the paper
and what i write...you'll read

Cola and Crown
Cola and Crown
Burns coming up
But, smooth going down

Cola and Crown
Cola and Crown
Burns coming up
But, smooth gong down

Sitting at the tavern
Needed courage
Drank four shots
Downed them in six seconds
Now, I didn't feel so hot

Stumbled to the dance floor
Room was spinning
So was I
Four shots in just six seconds
Felt like I was gonna die

Waitress pushed on by me
Saw that I had paid my dues
Four shots in just six seconds
I threw up on her new shoes

Cola and Crown
Cola and Crown
Burns coming up
But, smooth going down

Cola and Crown
Cola and Crown
Burns coming up
But, smooth gong down

She screamed and i just wobbled
Then she socked me with her tray
She gave me four shots in six seconds
Now, on the floor I lay

From now on when I'm drinking
I'm drinking beer, no matter what
I've got two black eyes to show me
Four in six ain't that hot

I sit here at the corner
Watching people spend their lives
waving at them as they pass
kids and husbands with their wives

They call me Mr. Waverly
Though no one knows my name
If I'm not out there waving
Life just wouldn't be the same

I sit and wave at everyone I see
When someone calls out "Waverly"....that's me
I wave at everyone as they pass by
Most likely will until the day I die

If I'm not out there waving
Folks wonder how I am
I'm known for what I do
Not known for who I am

I sit out  on the corner
Waving from beneath my tree
As people pass and yell out
"Hey Waverly....that's me"


I sit and wave at everyone I see
When someone calls out "Waverly"....that's me
I wave at everyone as they pass by
Most likely will until the day I die

Time to meet the family
At least, that's what I heard
But, she asked me when the game was on
So, I didn't catch a word

We'd be heading out a week from now
Back where it all began
To meet the wife's whole family
every woman, every man

When she said she was from the hills
I didn't ask her where
But, once he started on our way
I was always looking out for bear

They lived way up in the wooded parts
Off the road, you couldn't see
I didn't see just where they were
But, I felt them watching me

We pulled on up and there they were
They made the Clampett clan look good
Eighteen folks all standing there
and two were chewing wood

The one's I thought to be her folks
Were her sister and a dog
The one that cozied up to me
Had a leash walking a hog

There was hugging and some kissing
Lots of tangled beards and hair
Then they stood and looked at me
With that mountain kind of stare

you know the one, deliverance like
where you wonder flee or flight
It was just then that I wondered
If I'd make it through the night

Her ma came up and spun me round
slapped my ***, and said "he'll do"
I wasn't sure if that was good
And I would end up in a stew

A bearded one came over,
shook my hand, and said his name was Clem
He said that mama liked me
Now, I was one of them

they was fixing to go hunting
Which was something new to me
The last time I went hunting
I shot a canoe and a tree

They said that they were hunting
The most elusive mountain prey
I was gonna hunt for ginseng
And if we found some it would pay

First, though, time to have some drinks
Eat some greasy, stinky meal
I think it was a possum
But, it might have been an eel

They said we'd get a good night's sleep
And they started howling at the moon
Time to hit the sack they said
Hunting time is coming soon

My Appalachian in-laws
Made my sphincter close up tight
They had 14 teeth between them
And I don't think one of them could write

We hit the trail next morning
It felt like miles up that hill
I thought that I was dieing
And I hadn't left a will

A sound was heard, a gentle coo
And we was running, in our boots
Clem was out in front of us
And he'd discovered ginseng roots

I picked them up, all scraggly
Like a parsnip,  dried and dead
When a holler came from brother Boo
A monster known as Red

His beard was black as coal could be
His eyes looked at each other
They called him Red not for his hair
Just 'cause he liked the color

They filled the bags with what they found
And back down the hill they went
I thought that this was insanely mad
And then Clem got a scent

Someone else was on this hill
Out hunting Appalachian gold
That's not what I would call it
But, I just call things as I'm told

We found the truck and sped away
To get paid for the days find
We had to make sure all were there
And that we left no one behind

The gun shop and the bar and grill
Was where we would get paid
Thirteen hundred bucks a pound
Almost three grand had we made

We went back with the cash in hand
Howling at whatever we saw
I guess that I'm now one of them
An Appalachian outlaw in-law

you have to feed the devil
deep inside your soul
no matter your addiction
no matter how you roll
you have to feed the devil
you have to fill the empty hole
you have to feed the devil
deep inside your soul


cold turkey, gonna **** ya
with pain you've never seen
you're dancing with the devil
you never will get clean
don't try to win this battle
he's the best that's ever been
you've got to feed the devil
you never will get clean

welcome to the nightmare
the darkness, some say hell
have a drink, or needle
you never will get well
once you hit the bottom
you'll know how far you fell
welcome to the nightmare
the darkness, this is hell

you have to feed the devil
deep inside your soul
no matter your addiction
no matter how you roll
you have to feed the devil
you have to fill the empty hole
you have to feed the devil
deep inside your soul

feed the monster, keep him quiet
you won't like him if he's mad
you have to feed the devil
he's really good when things are bad
you have to keep him sleeping
let him lie still in his pad
you have to feed the monster
you won't like him when he's mad

play your cards, and pick your poison
he don't care which one you choose
you're addiction is what fuels him
and either way you lose
it's no longer such a gamble
baby needs some brand new shoes
play your cards and pick your poison
'cause either way you lose
play your cards and pick your poison
'cause either way you lose

Going on a road trip
Something for my soul
It's gonna take a while
But, it's gonna make me whole

I'm going to cross the country
But, I'll start on both the coasts
I've been in too many bottles
Have to exorcise some ghosts

Mile Marker Three Three Three Nine
That's where the dream did end
Mile Marker Three Three Three Nine
That's where I'll start to mend

Greyhound bus out of the east
From the Maritimes my son
I'll venture through Quebec as well
This is journey number one

I'll stop and meet the people
Get their stories, of the man
I'll find the ones who met him
Try to learn just what I can

Adversity, I've had my share
Always tried self medication
Now, I need to find myself
This will take some dedication

I'll head on through Ontario
On the Trans Canada Highway route
And I'll try lose my demons
Give my devils all the boot

Brick by brick I'll bring down the walls
That over years I've built
Bricks made up of hate and rage
by love, and fear and guilt

From the west, I'll make my way
Do the highway he could not
Through the rocky mountains
Every mile is hard fought

I'll learn about the person
Who he was and who I am
I'll come through the fire stronger
I'll be a much better man

I will bus across the prairies
Through the Manitoba cold
I will focus on my endgame
I'll learn from what I'm told

Two journeys I will travel
Neither one from coast to coast
But, both are to be ended
by that famous mile post

Maybe I can find the answer
Join myself, go through the door
As he joined a nation
So many years before

Mile Marker Three Three Three Nine
That's where my journey ends
Mile Marker Three Three Three Nine
That's where I'll start to mend