The Smokey Lonesome

Sleep Cowgirl 

Sleep
sleep cowgirl 
sleep 
sleep cowgirl 

my eyes 
would never open 
keep on 
keep on dreaming you 

running 
galloping, flashing mane 
breaking 
over tall grass 

pine, the sage 
on the air 
keep 
keep on dreaming you 

(bridge)

awake, to my 
ordinary life 
faucet is dripping 

dirty dishes, distant wishes 
fills the time 
that I can’t stop and think about you

(repeat first verse)

 

Desert Run 

Said hey!
no work 
still a little money to roll 
got a car and heading for parts unknown Hesperia, Victorville,
travel on is the only must 
where we going?
I don’t know 
ask the dust 

with a friend that gets what I meant 
there’s people here but no development 

three sheets behind your license,
a random deal in a gas station parking lot 
“man how’d you…?” 
but now the cops are here,
and here we’re caught 
behind a dumpster, for a leak 
they say something’s up with my eyes 
cops get another call 
“you got lucky son…”
I could almost cry!

from a chill that went to my bones 
to the glory of not going home!

(bridge)
outlaws loose and running
trying rights and wrongs and who are we but for the wild, the choice is domesticate 
or kept alive by a few in memory 

when a run to the desert 
breaks the worlds’ blinding efforts 
to chain a young spirit to its truth,
sittin in ease 
in the open air breeze 
when there’s still something left that’s new 

now I bring to this dry land
my long past and it’s spirits 
two gallons of water per day more or less 
trust what I learned 
to navigate 
not to be a death by GPS 
not to be a death

(repeat first verse)

Arid Blues 

Walkin’ the mall 
dude bumps me 
five paces we turn around 
I’m playing like my finger was a gun 
he’s big, wants trouble 
but not with the both of us 
you step forward, 
tell him “I’m the only one”
quiet and brave 
he turns away 
stuff like this every day 

(Chorus)
the stars and you 
stay ahead of the moon 
tonight are in the west 
(years you stayed home)
all our wishes 
mean nothing 
in regards to the past 
(all alone)
you were so tough 
with your fists and fearless 
of getting it back
(and I don’t know)
do I look at the stars 
in the desert sky 
or the surrounding black?
I don’t know I don’t know 

(bridge)
I don’t know 
the depth of your sadness, maybe we could take an interest in grown-up things 
I know 
it never completely passes 
when it’s quiet 
in your ears 
those times still ring 
Oh-ah-ohhh…

city gives way 
to greasewood 
the wind and dirt 
cinderblock, no trace of women 
a trip to your home 
some beer and the sports 
your manna cold in it’s electric prisons 
eyes on the screen 
not starving but mean 
am I the lone visitor you’ve seen?

the stars and you 
stay ahead of the moon 
tonight are in the west 
(years you stayed home) 
all our wishes mean nothing 
in regards to the past 
(all alone) 
you were so tough 
with your fists and fearless 
of getting it back 
(and I don’t know)
do I look at the stars 
in the desert sky 
or the surrounding black?
I don’t know I don’t know

 

Mojave 

Mojave stretching before me 
I’m drawn towards you 
away from everyone else 
your expression so open 
aloneness in your eyes 
living apart 

one could hesitate 
wanting to go back with a shudder
to the noise 
The constant movement 
thoughtless easy comforts 
I advance 
and you reveal 
in your expanse 

thousandfold variation 
here’s something else 
the detritus of some early pilgrim 
in your alone 
his artifacts, rusted and ugly 
proved useless 
only a few yards from the edge of the place, he came from 
I guess I’ll go back 
away from this embrace 
that doesn’t enclose 
all your solitude 

hope I remember Mohave 
stripping away 
my experience, nonessentials 
on the way 
on the way 
I’m on my way