Anegada

I get here late
I'm thrown in once or twice
but it’s always in my head
no need to run
they say unless you really think
it must be done, must be done

when you’re sure you’ve finally tired out
come and find me in the house of rain
you’re the water on my windowpane
to sail was never wasteless, did you know?

surrender sweet
not swept into a murder when
I thought I heard her speak
some satellite
with sifting sands of falling sun
and ocean-stung, we’re still young

when you think you’ve got it figured out
come and find me on the banks of sand
you remind me of some road I ran

and time was not so evil, was it now?
you’re dressed in all the leavings to allow
you’re the moons that thunder underneath
and we shudder when you show your teeth

I'm tried and run
and love would call it blind but you
and I know that’s not true
one summer’s gift
has opened up the waves to catch
my season-shift gone adrift

but before you get it sorted out
come and find me in my house of cards
you remind me of the way we are
and time was not so endless, was it now?

Closer Than

it's harder to reach you now
said a Sydney singer somewhere on the wire
and even if I'm allowed
to sing your praises, I'll be called a liar

you don't want me closer than the sun
I'm a triple bind and you're in one
and we don't want me losing all your light
better just get what you came for right?

you throw me a single frame
like a signal out of all your heart's control
you're nothing that I can't take
but I wish sometimes your arms would just unfold

many days awake linger in the lungs
leave me short of breath
I'm a seasonal facing west
to the sea of dread, you're a shot of hope
that I might never notice

you don't want me closer than the sun
I'm a triple wall and you want none
and we don't want me blocking out your light
better just get what you paid for right?

(you don't want me closer than the sun)
(I'm a triple bind and you're in one)

many days your names linger in the lungs
leave me short of breath
man I tried to respect you but
you're a sea of dread and a shot of hope
that I might never understand
why you left it all in my hands
you don't want me closer than
the sun

Don't Remember

family, family hits the wall
when it comes to terms
on nothing at all
I would like to learn
where you been til now
where’s the old concern?

go head, lip it off to me
and sell me how you planned
to reach for me for freedom
from your own quicksand
and pave the way again
make some memories
but I know how this ends
you don’t remember me

come forth, sing me up a storm
that I won’t soon forget
you say the welcome’s warm
but I’m not convinced just yet
cause to this day she knows
all my melodies
but you know how this goes
she don’t remember me

someone gave the gift of sight
asked me what I saw
but it’s much too bright
could be anything at all
so mix the mist with dust
and friends with enemies
it’s probably best they just
don’t remember me

Folks Like To Say

so what is so real it can’t be denied
how can I make this one worth the ride
the pressure you take, the trust you command
the waters you wake, the space you expand
some will defend you, some will betray
love is just something folks like to say

but why should it change, let’s say I assume
love was a pledge that I took too soon
song of deception left out of tune
the terrible feeling fueling our rage
that war is just something folks like to wage
and love is just something folks like to say

luck plays it loose and fortune runs deep
some lose their lives and others lose sleep
warmth of the mothers tired and torn
fathers of graces laden with thorns
their policy dies, their legacy stays
love is just something folks like to say
some will stand by and others betray
love is just something folks like to say

Get Well Soon

under the thought that we get close
where no one’s around
and friends lose their ground
and you burn by on a spark
if you never martyrize your ghosts
it’ll be the ones you love
and then you’ll really go dark

if I’m talking out of turn
just say I never learned what’s good for me

like a hopper on a freighter to the ancient glade
and I’m dusted over what you never trusted ‘bout the grave
I’m satisfied enough
with little lies with love to get us gone

in come the twister and she’s spinning
all along with the weave
and you take what you keep
cause he was too far ago
cannons that we made to save us time
take the shot while he climb
but they just missed the mark

brother if I have betrayed you
I can’t heal it so I pray you get well soon

like a gavel on a table that was made to cave
you’ll unravel for conditional permission to complain
disaster every day
the faster heart attack is on its way

brother’s burning for the last word
Zoe knows she got the password
it don’t last a moment longer than it’s heard

it was simple, not an omen, not a curse to reveal
still the groaning of a trojan with a broken heel
well I’m wishful that your sister find the road back home
tell the mavericks of a cosmic inhibition, so it goes
we’re close enough to death
why waste another breath to prove me wrong?

Greymare City

cloaked roadrunner
slowly stood me off the street
lowly preacher of night
pulled his hood down, kept it low-key
gone on K2, maybe meth

these citizens all look insane
you may not believe in the decay
but those who leave all seem to stay far away

smoke and mirrors
I’ve known only broken souls
roasted desert of minds
with their morals in a hemp bag
paying service to themselves

stoned roadrunners
disown me for all my sins
all I did was begin
to peel away from all that ails them
no one came to my defense

this village is not what she was
you may not believe in the decay
but those who leave all seem to stay far away

Land of the Living

grave rain doubles down
flood out village to town
Jord fathers bent
a southerly wind
dawn goddess sent
a glorious grin
our voyage met
another coast to win

brave, wise, brutal, free
honor you who honor me
the promising race
the troubles we faced
no time that I spent
bleeding for you
went to waste

you can tell
you can tell
I'm with you, friend
I'm with you, friend
late hours
yearned for the sunwarmth
never end

Norway

Norway may light
the darkest hours in the den
youth fades, age fights
erases ties to every friend
and you can court your confusion
and kill the means to every end

you’re faceless on the run
raceless when it’s done
and right when you were thinking
you would just stay gone
you were taken by the senses of a song

warm the surface of the water
I might fall into
but if I could fill my life with winters
maybe I’d be just as cold as you

no days nor nights
found in the memories I drew
open every ocean
rain from below, above me too
livid now we’re frigid
and every wrong turn belongs to you
sailor lost his way
salt the wounds to say
he wouldn’t give a fuck about them anyway
he was taken by the senses of a sway

like the summer’s final failures
found us in the fall
every kid is found out somewhere
wandering the halls
as the drummer gets her time down
under mother’s ice
every brother tries his drink but
whiskey ain’t my vice

warm the surface of the water
never let it freeze
cause inside that frozen mirror, darling
you might see you’re just as cold as me

Once and Never Again

so you were looking for
the print of innocence you somehow can't ignore
when it's so obvious and plain that you're
their once and never again
don't be the once and never again

from the first handshake you're someone's lover
there are some things you cannot recover
don't be a once and never again
don't be the once and never again

brave and wild
you feed them what they want
and walk the extra mile
an invitation only costs a smile

from the first mistake you make another
(I hear them calling for you again)
there are some things you cannot recover
once they're gone

from the first mistake you're undercover
it's a suffocation you must suffer on your own
just once and never again
(I feel you falling for it again)
don't be the once and never again

don't be the once and never again
(I hear you calling, 'I'm all in')
don't be a once and never again

from the first handshake you're someone's lover
and once they're gone

The Road To Something

your silence buys you time to think
while reavers raid your old hometown
you violate your own excuse
I hate to break what’s coming loose though

you’re thriving when the lights are low
so you could never see what’s wrong
this honesty invades my lungs
I’ll never be forever young again

ivory tower lost in time
I’ll mend you as you’re aging
locks and tumblers down great hill
I’ve kept the memories in a cage
our human nature sets the stage for

your outrage saves some time to roam
you violate your own desire
what’s weak in you is where I thrive
and even I won’t leave this world alive

ivory tower lost in time
I’ll mend you as you crumble
locks and tumblers down great hill
what poisons you is sweet to me
I owe it to Persephone so

I’ve been accused of all
that you could think of
why even hold the trial?
the edge of trust begins a lust for blood

golden spires lost along
the road to something better
let the virus of denial
just fall with all you’ve left behind
what’s out of breath is out of mind

Sake of Kindred

to the lowlight muses
with a charmed confusion
let the way be hinted
for the sake of kindred

the generations
we rushed them
unknown again
unstudied and afloat
and left with weak hope

to the chief and champion
of this ancient canyon
let your reign stay stinted
for the sake of kindred

wanna win us back
with our rage intact
be a friend in fact
to the mild

you’ve conjured notions
of honor
beyond repair
and longing for a mark
to aim for in the dark

to the chief and marshal
with your grin so artful
to the leaders minted
for the sake of kindred

take me on your path
with my fear intact
I will have your back
when it counts

She Is the Words She Meant

I am the hours I’ve spent with you
I’m a cold from the cloud you bring
I’ll take the fall and you take spring
is a winter in everything?

clear out the room and sweep the floor
in her eyes she was wanting more
go up the stairs and out the door
it’s not me that she’s waiting for

so much for lust and lost attempts
falling for what we dreamt
feeling the words she knows I meant
we are the hours we’ve spent

she’s got an image in her mind
and maybe I look like him
but she doesn’t know with just a taste
we are the years we waste

we got underground and shook the earth
and shivered for what it’s worth
tried not to tremble where it hurts
we only made it worse

so much for lust and lost intents
she is the words she meant
knowing the moments I invent
we are the hours we’ve spent

they’re dancing as my revelations spin
for now I am not friends with what I’m in
and I was kneeling to the jack of spades
but their way is a silent film
and surprises are what I will

so much for trust and just content
she is the words she meant
time out of mind to some extent
as she carries away the coast
and now you will play the ghost

This Is Enough

did you know what we’re worth?
all the heavens and the earth
catch her winds, run her grounds
raise an empire from a town

now I want you to show me your shield and your faith
not every war that we wage is a waste if our
kids are safe

revolving around burial mounds
citizens of the long-gone
let leeches disdain but I know what I’m loyal to

Easters come, summers go
merry Christmas ‘fore you know
if you give it some time
all your songs will sound like mine

now I want you to tell me the stories untold
what’s so hard to give when the ones who you whisper to
turn to gold?

revolving around burial mounds
citizens of the long-gone
let history remain cause I know what I’m loyal to

think I’ve seen this before
send a message, get ignored
I’m the king of the void
let my limits be destroyed

I breathe in forever and offer my hand
if this is enough then just let me be young
while I can

if that’ll be all then just let me be

Tired Route

the block is cleared, I had to rush
just to say it was done
and so you're free to speed away
and I'll be zero to one

been long since I carried your doubts
and late as you figured it out
I'm taking the tired route

but don't pretend you ain't holding me hostage
where I lay
cause when I have to I'll regain my losses
before I'm zeroed away

been long since I carried your doubt
and someday you'll figure it out
I'm taking the tired route

and don't pretend that your trail ain't commitment
to the road
cause when you turn back and look for the answer
there'll be zero to know

been long since I carried a doubt
and someday you'll figure it out
I'm taking the tired route

Warmer

for distance and distress
I’ll never hold much trust
the worries stir towards you
you’re apt to grow yourself
turns out you always were
the home I branch away from
the waves have calmed and everyone
is waiting for your statement
and I’ll style this memory
with the smiles you lent me then

I wished and whistled long
your name in every word
while thunder stutters reasons
the final say is yours
I wrung my conscience dry
control I’ve given up on
your sun is set and yes I bet
your saturn longs to kill me
so I’m taking cover
in the clouds you hover on

don’t wonder where I go
don’t cover me with love
I think I’m getting warmer
employed to find the void, she swims
the outer rim and in me
though she gives no quarter
think I’m warmer than I was