10,000 Maniacs

beautiful_soul · Prijatelj foruma

A Campfire Song

A lie to say, "O my mountain has coal veins and beds to dig.
500 men with axes and they all dig for me."
A lie to say, "O my river where many fish do swim,
half of the catch is mine when you haul your nets in."
Never will he believe that his greed is a blinding ray.
No devil or redeemer will cheat him.
He'll take his gold to where he's lying cold.

A lie to say, "O my mine gave a diamond as big as a fist."
But with every gem in his pocket, the jewels he has missed.
A lie to say, "O my garden is growing taller by the day."
He only eats the best and tosses the rest away.
Never will he be believe that his greed is a blinding ray.
No devil or redeemer can cheat him.
he'll take his gold to where he's lying cold.
Six deep in the grave.

Something is out of reach
something he wanted
something is out of reach
he's being taunted
something is out of reach
that he can' beg or steal nor can he buy

his oldest pain
and fear in life
there'll not be time
his oldest pain
and fear in life
there'll not be time

A lie to say "O my forest has trees that block the sun
and when I cut them down I don't answer to anyone."
No, no, never will he believe that his greed is a blinding ray
no devil or redeemer can cheat him.
He'll take his gold where he's lying cold.

beautiful_soul · Prijatelj foruma

A Room For Everything

You were looking away from me,
western skies calling you.
Colors spilling, running
dazzling you.

I was looking the other way
voices call from the east
I saw my roots of the trees
there planted at my feet.

It could be I'm searching
for a place so small
with room for everything
where worlds on worlds revolve.
But how can we wait?

I wouldn't hold you back.

Suppose I was the clever one
And words came easy to me
I could say I was writing a song about you
(you) and me.

Maybe that verse is yet to be found,
but waits inside of me,
a secret room a tangled web to unweave.

But how can we wait
knowing our ways,
how can we hold on,
still you know
its not too late.

beautiful_soul · Prijatelj foruma

Across The Fields

Well they left then in the morning,
a hundred pairs of wings
in the light moved together
in the colors of the morning
I looked to the clouds
in the cirrus sky and they'd gone.

Across the marshes,
across the fields below.
I fell through the vines
and I hoped they would catch me below.

If only to take me with them there,
tell me the part that shines
in your heart on the wind.

And the reeds blew in the morning.
Take me along to the places
you've gone when my eyes looked away.
Tell me the song that you sing
in the trees in the dawning.
Tell me the part that shines
in your heart and the rays of love forever,
please take me there.

beautiful_soul · Prijatelj foruma

All That Never Happens

She walks alone on the brick lane,
the breeze is blowing.
A year had changed her forever,
just like her gray home.

He used to live so close here,
we'd look for places I can't remember
The world was safe when she knew him,
she tried to hold him, hold on forever.

For all that never happens
and all that never will be,
a candle burning for the love we seldom keep.

The earth was raw in her fingers,
she overturned it.
Considered planting some flowers,
they wouldn't last long, no one to tend them.

it's funny how these things go,
you were the answer to all the questions.
The memories made her weary,
she shuddered slowly, she didn't want to.

As a distant summer he began to whisper,
and threw a smile her way
She looked into the glass,
liquid surface showing
that they were melding, together present past.

So where can I go from here?
The color fading, he didn't answer
She felt him slip from her vision.
She tried to hold him, hold on forever.
So close forever, in a silent frozen sleep.

beautiful_soul · Prijatelj foruma

Among The Americans

dance to the sun
a kiss to the earth
embrace a stone

come the small black book
come the brandy cask
one strange disease
the well worded paper
signed by the drunken
hands of thieves

and suddenly
they were told to leave

as the snake uncoiled on a road
the length was eighty miles
wagons' weary horses
lead the feverish exiles
barefoot in the early snow
on a ridge
where they beheld their home
coarse and barren
not the haven
promised by the Father

Jaksa Chula Harjo
Jaksa Chula Harjo
Jaksa Chula Harjo **

the Red Sticks first and
the Dancing Ghosts were
pierced with arms of fire
and the weeping widows
left could not avenge
so the Western Star manifest its will
drove them clear into the Pacific O

gone the way of flesh
turned pale and died
by your god's decree

for he hated me

** Cherokee name for Andrew Jackson
the 7th president of the U.S.A.

beautiful_soul · Prijatelj foruma

Anthem For Doomed Youth

For whom the bells toll
when sentenced to die
the stuttering rifles
will stifle the cry
the monstrous anger
the fear's rapid rattle
a desert inferno
kids dying like cattle

Don't tell me
we're not prepared
I've seen today's marine
he's eighteen and he's eager
he can be quite mean

No mock'ries for them
no prayers or bells
the demented choirs
the wailing of shells
the boys holding candles
on untraveled roads
the fear spreads like fire
as shrapnel explodes

I think it's wrong
to conscript our youth
against their will
when plenty of our citizenry
really like to kill

What sign posts will lead
to armageddon's fires
what bugles will call them
from crowded grey shires
the women sit quiet
with death on their minds
a slow dusk descending
the drawing of blinds

Make the hunters all line up
it's their idea of fun
and let those be forgiven
who never owned a gun
was it him or me
or the wailing of the dead
the laughing soldiers
cast their lots
and you can cut the dread

beautiful_soul · Prijatelj foruma

Arbor Day

wide open falsehood
the clan destine truths
rival till the end
in a series of duels
pardon the drapery language I choose

Waltz in Vienna has taught me to use
every tall room a fiction
leather bound treasure books
up to the ceiling
gold spine upon spine

the guile and the treason
the faith and allegiance

wide open falsehood
the clan destine truths
rival till the end
in a series of duels
pardon the drapery language I choose

the author grew fat to imagine
his lead pen careening
gave voice to the scheming
an Aryan cabale to dethrone

the guile and the treason
the faith and allegiance
to the empire unknown

the baron and his mistress
dine in fine banquet hall
as rebel insurgents plot in
the attic space crawl

wide open falsehood
the clan destine truths
rival till the end
in a series of duels
pardon the drapery language I choose

his small hand did strive
to explain all the
rants and raves of
a people enslaved

by the cant of the shrewdest
capable men

the guile and the treason
the faith and allegiance
now lie in my hand

the guile and the treason
the faith and allegiance
now lie in my hand

beautiful_soul · Prijatelj foruma

Back O' The Moon

Jenny

Jenny you don't know the nights I hide
below a second story room
to whistle you down
the man who's let to divvy up
time is a miser
he's got a silver coin
only lets it shine for hours
while you sleep it away

there's one rare and odd style of living
part only known to the everybody Jenny
a comical where's the end parade
of the sort people here would think unusual

Jenny

tonight upon the mock brine of a Luna Sea
far off we sail on to Back O' The Moon

Jenny

Jenny you don't know the days I've tried
telling backyard tales
so to maybe amuse
o your mood is never giddy
if you smile I'm delighted
but you'd rather pout
such a lazy child
you dare fold your arms
tisk and say that I lie

there's one rare and odd style of thinking
part only known to the everybody Jenny
the small step and giant leap takers
got the head start in the race toward it

Jenny

tonight upon the mock brine of a Luna Sea
far off we sail on to the Back O' The Moon

that was a sigh
but not meant to envy you
when your age was mine
some things were sworn true
morning would come

and calendar pages had
new printed seasons on
their opposite sides

Jenny

Jenny you don't know the nights I hide
below a second story room
to whistle you down
o the man who's let to divvy up
time is a miser
he's got a silver coin
lets it shine for hours
while you sleep it away

there's one rare and odd style of living

part only known to the everybody Jenny
out of tin ships jump the bubble head boys
to push their flags into powdered soils and cry
no second placers

no smart looking geese in bonnets
dance with pigs in high button trousers
no milk pail for the farmer's daughter
no merry towns of sweet walled houses

here I've found
Back O' the Moon
not here
I've found
Back O' the Moon

beautiful_soul · Prijatelj foruma

Because The Night

Take me now baby here as I am
Pull me close, try and understand
Desire is hunger is the fire I breathe
Love is a banquet on which we feed

Come on now try and understand
The way I feel under your command
Take my hand as the sun descends
They can’t hurt you now,
Can’t hurt you now, can’t hurt you now

Because the night belongs to lovers
Because the night belongs to us
Because the night belongs to lovers
Because the night belongs to us

Have I doubt , baby ,when I’m alone
Love is a ring, a telephone
Love is an angel disguised as lust
Here in our bed until the morning comes

Come on now try and understand
The way I feel under your command
Take my hand as the sun descends
They can’t hurt you now,
Can’t hurt you now, can’t hurt you now

Because the night belongs to lovers
Because the night belongs to us
Because the night belongs to lovers
Because the night belongs to us

With love we sleep
With doubt the vicious circle
Turns and burns
Without you I cannot live
Forgive, the yearning burning
I believe it’s time to heal to feel
So take me now, take me now, take me now

Because the night belongs to lovers
Because the night belongs to us
Because the night belongs to lovers
And everybody says
It belongs to us

beautiful_soul · Prijatelj foruma

Beyond The Blue

I was thinking today
if you would remember
you choose to remember
what you left me out there
in the cold days fading away
I see you so near
I hear your voice calling
it calls me from these pages to you
beyond the blue,
so sudden too soon
the secrets we knew
I was thinking today
if you would surrender
to feelings that you tried deserting
and if given the choice
I’d still wait for the moment
still wait for the moment
when I could have
a hero like you
days fading away
but I see you so clear
I hear your voice calling
it calls me from these pages to you
beyond the blue.