A song about growing up in the woods around Pauline Park in Beechview, Pittsburgh and about the day I used my B-B gun to shoot out a window in an old folks home.

Pauline Park (Idea).wav

Did you hear my silent prayer 
And connect the hidden strings 
As I sat alone out on the porch 
Lookin out on a tire swing
I learned to dance from my momma 
To turn the hurt into good
To make a broom into a microphone 
To sing where no one should
The world is weird and wooden and old
It creaks and groans with stories untold
The womb is wild and woolen and wet
It shrieks and moans and makes light out of depth

I learned to wait from the trees
To breathe and pause and take my time
To comprehend the whole horizon 
Through the space between the pines
The sleepy town lies down the tracks 
Past the lumber yard, bridge and stream 
The center of the universe
The place where childhood teems
The world is weird and wooden and old It creaks and groans with stories untold 
The womb is wild and woolen and wet

Can you hear the din of joy
Connected round the offering
She pushes off and takes flight 
Laughter flutters on the wing

I’ve got friends who live just down the street 
People who care for me
I’ve got brothers out in the world somewhere 
And sisters and a family
And they’ll sing Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Can you hear the din of joy 
Connected round the offering 
She pushes off and takes flight 
Laughter flutters on the wing

(Genesis 8:21)

On the Wing

[Draft] Nothing Compares 2 U

She comes in quiet like the rain 
but she is fiercer than any pain 
You know she’s good at everything
She went to Paris with her best friend 
and I am certain in the end 
she’ll come home to me again
As a baby we were sure 
 she was meant for something more 
So we didn’t waste no time
As a woman she is more 
than any one man bargained for
How I wish that she were mine

When I look up at the moon draw a line to the closest star
Hoping I’ll escape the ruins, someday I’ll be where you are
I believe it will be soon we’ll be riding in my car 
Heading out to climb the dunes 
to the place where I found you 
back in June

born with eyes open wide, 
nothing in the world could hide, 
you wanted to know everything
We made a language all our own, 
when our kingdom was our home, 
we were the best of friends
There are bonds that run so deep, 
we don’t even have to keep 
Them safe from anything 
Just one word can cast us back, 
to enchanted robes of black 
The magic spell is everything

When I look up at the moon 
draw a line to the closest star
Hoping I’ll escape the ruins, 
someday I’ll be where you are
Cant believe how friggin soon 
you'll be driving in your car 
Takin your friends to climb the dunes 
to the place where I found you 
In June

Baby I need you to know grace aint something that can grow
Based on how you perform 
The first second I saw you when your little soul came through 
When the veil was torn
It was finished, you were perfect, 
you ain’t gotta do nothin but be
June

When I look up at the moon draw a line to the closest star
We will both escape the ruins, I AM always where you are
Cant believe how fuckin soon ill be riding in your car 
Take me back to climb the dunes to the place where I found you 
June

When the weather breaks | And the snow is gone
all creation quakes  | With the breaking dawn
And the sun returns  | And that warm glow burns 
And you know it’s true | That the world is new
See that resurrection | offering protection
See you breaking through | There’s a name for you
Its why we call you: 

June 
Stay by the phone
I will call you June
You made our house a home
its why we called you June
God has big plans for you 
all you need to do 
is be you
June

[Happy 15th Birthday to bravest Gryffindor of all: June. I hope all your problems are champagne problems. Cheers to the girl I’ve been looking up to since the day she was born.]

Back to June

No limit … to you mind … in your head
No accounting … for the lie …. You are dead
No circles … to reply … to you words
Youre the one

No books… so refined… until you bled
No reason… for the blind … curves ahead
No spheres … to shatter … into shards
You are none

You fool—withdraw—make a space 
The cool—dark water—of this place
The tool—of number—binary switch
The pool—she hovers—high priestess

No idea… counterpoint … to the lead
No concept… could picture… the red
No thing …. Can escape…. Pull towards 
Youre the one

The tree—golden ball—black hound
Its me—its now—infinite Crown
Its you—our number—is one
Its God—its name—is None

No Limit

“His eyes beating looked steadfastly at cream curves of stone.” —James Joyce, Ulysses

The only way to look on that woman is from behind
Where you won't be intoxicated by the lie in her eyes
Where the milk-smooth skin of her back calls you to climb
Them golden threads that are cascading down only to bind 
The creamy shape of her marbled curves  like a Venus fly trap
Drawin’ your gaze incessantly upward To where the serpents are wrapped

And the environment…designs the body 
And the body … it wants to go home
But the home … is an environment 
Where the body … is all alone

See cuz you can only look on that woman as she’s passin by
You can’t keep ‘dem drops o’ moonlight that glint in her eye
Her back shimmers like darkness o’ water reflectin’ starlight 
She’s watchin’ o’er the deep just before dawn breaks the night 
And somehow in the depths of her body  grow the seeds of your dreams
Shes pushin out our daughters and sons  ‘midst love’s deathless screams


And the environment…designed their bodies 
And the body … it wants to go home
But the home … is an environment 
Where the body … is all alone

You shoulda only looked on that woman Through the lookingglass man
The queen of hearts is a black hole That feasts on your pain
She’ll take all that you got in her body Leave you behind
Starin’ alone at the fuckin garden And the Tree of Life
Trapped in your own eyes turned to stone That can’t even cry
That Georgia Gorgon is a wildwood flower With an Iris of lies
And her body…designs environments 
And the environment …used to be home
But the home… is an environment
Where your body … is all alone

From Behind - live at the Listening Room in Savannah

And when they raised that barn from outta these hills 
Goat in the dooryard cleared the fields
Bull in a bipolar pen champing to begin
Thinks hes the king cuz now he got twins 

But the crab dont let up cuz he think he the boss
And the lion in the manger just bearin his cross
And the virgin in the corner with a terrified look
Wise enough to know she gonna end up in yo book 

But she hidin them scales beneath her robe
A crying scorpion’s army under her yoke
Spirit archer on his way with a motor on his back
He got nine in the quiver but ten in the stack

Again that goat went off and made love to the fish
In that waterjug they did splash and splish
And the thw whole world come out to welcome them home
For the fish god at last… to sit on the throne
On the throne
On the throne

2-Grhapati Blues

1 - No Limit (acoustic)

Some bright morning I left it all	 	loaded up that big U-Haul
Riding shotgun next to me 			was my entire family Tree
I sat atop them bucket seats, 			a spotless lamb beneath my feet
My blood, my hope, everything,		won’t live to see  morning

“Nobody loves a genius child…kill him and let his soul run wild”

Left that faithless bitch in the desert sand, 	made me fuck one of her friends
That kid meant nothing so I sent ‘em away, 	but this one means more than I can say 
“Express the sublime in the pedestrian” 	Reflects in polished obsidian
How do we cross the abyss above?		 be great in proportion to our Love?

But “Nobody loves a genius child…kill him and let his soul run wild”

Risk it all on a pitch-and-toss			Never breathe a word about your loss
Hold here and now as it rushes fast		All futures plunging toward the past
Yes and I said yes and I will			yes and after that ain’t all the rest
Just the dross left down in the basin		after faith done let all the grace in

But “Nobody loves a genius child…kill him and let his soul run wild”*

We stopped at a ballpark on our way		Nothing shines quite like gameday
Right-hand pitcher on the mound		Bones of our fathers shake the ground
They used to call this feeling magic		Nowadays it’s all but tragic
The crown, the throne, the rod and staff	Can’t tell the wheat from the chaff

But I love genius child…Raised my right hand, his soul runs wild. 
Tonight I can see it will be fine…Music is how we decorate time
I AM that genius child…My god my soul is running wild. 
[instrumental]
And we all are that genius child…let it go, let your soul run wild

*Genius Child by Langston Hughes

This is a song for the genius child.
Sing it softly, for the song is wild.
Sing it softly as ever you can -
Lest the song get out of hand.

Nobody loves a genius child.

Can you love an eagle,
Tame or wild?
Can you love an eagle,
Wild or tame?
Can you love a monster
Of frightening name?

Nobody loves a genius child.

Kill him - and let his soul run wild.

——
Taken from Langston Hughes poem “Genius Child”
In honor of John Michel-Basquiat 
With an eye to his living peers
The genius children who must be lost and released

4-Rectified

3 - M(L)oth(v)er

“Is that shit even Legal?”
Once knew a man named Justus Andherson…
stand up dude…married Grace
I mean Grace…Grace, she was so good…so pretty..
She met Justus back in church…two so young and beautiful 
She would take care of him…in good times and in bad..
till death do Us part…I do… 
Think it’s legal…this shit is legal…
thought Love could heal all wounds all wounds 
all wounds Inflicted by Justus … 
Justus beats on Grace…strange hairless primate…
I think that shit is legal.

When Justus says “You did me wrong!” 
Grace runs and hides…
now she’s on the floor in the bathroom…
Holds the bowl…prays to her Mother…He stands outside…
Justus got nothing but time…he don’t work…don’t need to
Brothers will do anything he wants…all on the up and up…
he’s at the top…comes down hard on them…
Pays them in powder got in his travels abroad…
works for the government…he is the government…
Just like the government…is this shit even legal?
Payday rolls around he takes his cut…
takes a broad calls her a slut…
Hooks his brother calls him a junkie…
cash crops harvested for the money…
Grace is scared…she holds the bowl…hears him growl..
He thuds his chest…climbs the pyramids…
he’s supported by a troupe…
Around here Justus is the Law…as a Rule he protects his own…If he don’t like you you’re going down…
His boys will drag you to a clearing…
emasculate you and shove your balls down your throat…
leave you swingin from the tree…just like 1963…
maybe 1863…maybe even from your family tree…
Protects his way of life…from all threats foreign and domestic…
In this house he is the Law…violence is the law…
is this shit even legal?

Grace‘s hands are shaking…knows what’s coming…
once before…she ran into the closet…
Justus locks the door…caged bird..incarceration…
is this shit even Legal?
No one there to hear her cries…back in 1963…
among the wild chimpanzees…
She lived by a certain code…respect the dead… 
once buried her brother…
Daddy’s blind… fucked his own virgin mother…
strange Fruit of the Looms…stained…
Grace don’t stand up to Him…maybe Love will be enough…
but why’s he like it rough? 
“Damn I am so tough…Wait till my boys see me…
wait till I get alone with the boys…
Wait till we’re up atop that tree…in the forest canopy…
can’t wait for my boy to come up behind me…
Thick fingers in my hair…picking lice…eats like rice…
me and my boys.”
Blunderbus is a kind of toy…in the hands of the Boys…
toys bring boys joy…Grace was just a boy toy…
Is this shit even legal? 

Justus has had enough… Round midnight, 
a shot rang out…June 12, 1963…
Among the wild chimpanzees…not the NAACP…
the fucking police…the Boys
..they all stand around…jerks…in a circle…
strong arm of the law… kicks the door down…
Grace’s pretty hair…caressing his thick fingers…
left hand holds her down…
she tries to scream…but underwater…no one hears…
Justus was scared…he was justified…just defense…genocide…
is this shit even legal?
I do…I think…Justus is the Law….till death do us part…
Grace’s Mother…hears her heartbeat stop…It is clear…
Grace left one womb to drown in another…
Justus pulls his pants up… hits the flush… 
get the Hoover…clean this mess up…
…is this shit even Legal?

5 - Just Us and Her Son

We are born of water  Of oceans mixed with stars
We explode from nothing And we leave behind the scars

We come from the hill  Rising up out of the sea
We are made of rain Washing over sacred trees

Time is a turning returning in turn
Mind is a fire that’s dying to burn

We build up our kingdoms By scratching at the earth
We find that all we’re left with Is blood and sweat and dirt

Our toes dig down in soil Our hands reach to the sky
We raise up our children On their backs to lie

Time is a turning returning in turn
Mind is a fire that’s dying to burn

Take these two stones and we’ll make light come from the dark
I’ll hold the candle and you, you make the spark
Take up your brush and we’ll make life rise from these walls
I’ll hold the ladder and you, you make your mark	
Lift up your voice and we’ll raise the dead out of these halls
I’ll start the band and you, join in the march


We were born of water  Of passion mixed with pain
We begin as nothing And we begin again

O ashes to ashes  And diamonds turned to dust
We remember our own future When the future says we must

A womb made out of dirt Our house a box of bones 
By then we’re all together We’ll never sleep alone

Time is a turning returning in turn
Mind is a fire that’s dying to burn

Take these two stones and we’ll make light come from the dark
I’ll hold the candle and you, you make the spark
Take up your brush and we’ll make life rise from these walls
I’ll hold the ladder and you, you make your mark	
Lift up your voice and we’ll raise the dead out of these halls
I’ll start the band and you, join in the march

We are born of water  Of oceans mixed with stars
We find when we come home We never went that far


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