All Those Ways
(Use the track list on the right to preview song lyrics and other information)
Lady Jordan
Inspired by “Oh Jordan River Lord Say Lay My Burdens On Thee,”
a poem by Jaqueline Amos: read it here
Oh, laughing river, tell a cruel joke to tempt the sky
Oh, quiet space, make me wonder why
I have come to your waters with blood in my hands
Take a swim in the riverbed, and you’d understand
Lady Jordan, I really pray you’d pull up your tides
Carry on your way to the banks of the Dead Sea and bring me home
I’ve been away for far too long
The ocean awaits with eager lips the fermented and strong
Oh, great descender, you think you’re falling all the time
Oh, tributary, leave your bed behind, oh my
Why have I come to your waters with blood in my hands?
Take a swim in the riverbed, and you’d understand
Lady Jordan, is it a sin, this simple romance?
Are you torn within by the millions who thirst for eternal life?
Oh, you’ve grown far too old to cry
But save all your sorrows for the cloud’s tears of crystalline white
It’s nice to sing, but what are we doing?
She’s abandoned and left to dry
She’s leaving us so let everyone know
Lady Jordan, I really pray you’d pull up your tides
Carry on your way to the banks of the Dead Sea and bring me home
I’ve been away for far too long
The ocean awaits with eager lips the fermented and strong
Keuka
I walk on water
As night approaches
A fold in the firmament
We’re sailing on the Y
And I fall asleep
To the sound of waves below
Do you remember
The late sun dancing
Along the tree line
As we went tacking up shore
Amassed the heaven sail,
Till birds refused to call
Around the bluff we go
Sailing down the lake
And I take the tiller
And hold it slightly left of your hand
Oh, what a day
For a summer firework–
Show me how
And we’ll make it over there before dark
All Those Ways
Fill the page, fill the page like a writer
Feel the years, feel the years getting lighter
Wait for dawn, wait for dawn to return
All those ways, all those ways to unlearn
Oh, trampoline nights, a charity dance, a roadtrip away, a roadtrip away or two
Oh, pennies for secrets, pennies for chance, I counted the ways, I counted the ways to you
Fill the room, fill the room like a singer
Feel the whole, feel the whole measure linger
Wait for grace, wait for grace to return
All those ways, all those ways to unlearn
Oh, low lit cafes and classic attire, a favorite book, a favorite book or two
Oh, light from the city, light from the fire, I counted the ways, I counted the ways to you
Does she hear me sing?
And does she hear the silence in between?
I’m hoping, I’m hoping she does
Though haunting it may seem
There she was!
All those ways, all those ways to a thousand more
I’m amazed, I’m amazed that there’s even one at all
Is It Ever That Easy
Is it ever that easy to tell between
The morning and night when the street lights all
Cut through the darkness?
Just where does it end?
Count the spots on the moon and the scenery
Comes to life as we drive to your house alone.
Raw conversation
Makes a fool of me.
I remembered your name
From a list I had read–
A paper-fold ring,
Like a weight on my hands
And suddenly for
A moment I’m gone,
My thoughts in the clouds
And echoing thunder.
Is it ever that easy to tell between
The plans that we make and the plans we
Unfold without reason?
Which way will it end?
Count the minutes that pass as the sweet sherry
Brings a grin to the end of our evening hour.
Ask me a question
Just to see how it goes.
And every time
I desire to know
What’s driving your wheels
You lock in your tongue
So somehow it’s like
I’m all by myself
But then I recall
We’re in this together
The Art of War
I’m not one for war, but I read a book or two,
And one day I stopped inside a bookstore to understand the world,
And, as luck would have it, I’m within the minds of the lonely, the Pacific lost,
Walking the beach with gunners and medics and the sun at our backs,
Just below the zenith, surrounded by death and dying and economy and cries
And life’s such random chance to find me in this chair instead with a good book,
A love song, and time to think to myself
What luck?
Is it too much?
Have you found you’re dumbstruck?
You’re alive there, you’re in love
Fife, for what it’s worth, it’s not battle this time,
You hide your head and cry,
It’s the fourth of July, and half of summer wilts
Under bootstraps and cigarette skies.
They say the story never ends, but, then again, I’m captive,
Caught in a page turn or somewhere in space, measuring time
By sounds of bullets cracking, and all I’ve yet to comprehend
Is in pieces there before me in still-life, stained red like a monochrome display
In the art of war, a story from Sun Tzu, or some thirty years before,
Why not go and ease your mind behind parading, motorcading lies
And follow closely single-file as Major marches on down
Paved streets
There’s a war somewhere in town on
Film sheets
Cheering victors, bayonets, and
Fife, for what it’s worth, it’s not battle this time,
You hide your head and cry,
It’s the fourth of July, and half of summer wilts
Under bootstraps and cigarette skies.
Drop down the back of the car seat
And set your fortunes afire
And pack all your bags somehow
Make peace a dream for somebody else
And your thoughts will align
Carry the Word or a letter
And who knew?
Life and death are chancy things
But would you believe
That some bullets really have wings?
Fife, for what it’s worth, it’s not battle this time,
You hide your head and cry,
It’s the fourth of July, and half of summer wilts under bootstraps and cigarette skies.
Fife, for what it’s worth, it’s not battle this time,
You hide your head and cry,
It’s the fourth of July, and half of summer wilts
Under bootstraps and cigarette skies.
Dirty Shoes
Rubber soles are commonplace
You gotta get a good one with a bend
All this mud caked on my feet
Like a memory of a friend
Fixing everything is hard to do
So maybe I will just hold on to you
Dirty shoes, dirty shoes
What’s your story, high-heeled girl?
You carry everything on your toes
And oh, that Wall Street man walks by
With his loafers on and his fancy clothes
I don’t think this pain gets any duller
But wait to see, she just might change her color
Baby blue, baby blue
And all the same, I’m falling out of line
So bemused in love I left my shoes untied
But what if I had only pride in mind
What’s their worth to you, these dirty shoes of mine?
Odd how every now and then
I catch a friendly step just as off you go
Would you like to hear my theory?
Would you make-believe it if I told you so?
They say that practice is the best prescription
They didn’t warn me of this slight addiction
Calling you, calling you
And all the same, I’m falling out of line
So bemused in love I left my shoes untied
But would that I could only catch your eye
In my faded shoes, these dirty shoes of mine
Winded
You’ve got me winded, you got me winded
And I’ve defended your hallowed love
Well, sorry’s over, so sorry’s over
And I’ve been bathing, my trouble’s gone
And here in song we let the fire rise
Your eyes locked on the sun, you see through my disguise
And cities wake to hear your music play
Just watch the buildings grow, and please don’t look away
Well, I’ve pretended, yes, I’ve pretended
This game has ended, you’ll prove me wrong
Missing pieces, I’m missing pieces
Your love increases, and I’m withdrawn
But how do we begin to look for spares?
Those empty words of old, so many solemn prayers
I tremble, half-expecting your reply
But that which scares me most may just tell me why
Those parting words, those careless said
Constraining and suffering without any understanding
What a burden! No, not a burden
But its something, I guess you’d know by now
I can’t describe it, no, can’t describe it
But help me fight it, and leave the stories for me to tell another day
And all I love, those arms in mine
This subconscious stream of mind, it is all I have to give
I’ll catch my breath here! I’ll catch my breath here!
Or else death here, there’s no better way
You’ve got me winded, you got me winded
And I’ve defended, your hallowed love