Say Never

there were 23
black crows ahead of me
eating garbage off the street
hopping back and forth on their tiny feet
27 more sat on a phone wire
they watched and waited for me to retire
well that made 28 of us
the crows just stared and started to rust
and they squawked as a sign that they were free
they fell from the telephone wire
then hit rock bottom
i lost my balance again
i am way past rotten
i dragged you down
i dragged the whole world down
the crows have over run this town
they picked at my brain as if it were bread
if it wasn't for the baker's son, they'd all be dead
i said "listen to me crows, leave me alone
there's better foods to taste and winds to be flown"
and they squawked as a sign that they were free
the crows flew to the next poor soul
he said "if you leave me alone, i'll give you gold"
all 50 crows looked in to his eyes
and could see based his life on little white lies
so they picked at his brain as if it were bread
now the baker's son lies there dead
so who will feed them so that they can survive?
the scraps of bread will go to the ants and the flies
and they squawked as a sign that they were free

this is what the poor kids do
when we get bored
and there's nothing to do
we might make out
in an alley way
it's remembering all
the little things
like pissin' and drinkin'
and sayin' my name
this is what the poor kids do
we bum cigarettes
and eat fast food
then feel sick
to our stomachs
we all hate work
but hope something
will work
out quick
this is what the poor kids do
we write songs
about being broke
so we strum our guitars
but can't afford new strings
we drink coffee
that will stain our teeth
we paint, we laugh
we cry, we sing
this is what the poor kids do

there is a rope
tied to my waist
there is a thread
attached to my brain
so i am stuck here
in this state of mind
hoping you'll cut these strings
and free these hands of mine
i like to sing
but my songs are so sad
the baby made me laugh
forget the hurt i have
so cut these strings
let's just drink
and we can sing
about anything
i am sorry, girl
for all that i lack
and i took your heart
but you can have it back
i need to learn
to love myself
it has been unlearned
so i will need some help
and i drank their wine
had an alright time
but i have on problem
you're still not mine
so cut these strings
and we can smoke
and i'll promise to laugh
at all your jokes

i am going to play a show tomorrow night
and get drunk off someone else's wine
i am going to see my best friend, tom
my singing and strumming off time

i don't know why
i'm so sad all the time
it haunts me every night
like a ghost of mine
maybe i miss you
or maybe i'm just stressed
but when singing doesn't help...
i need to drink less...
when i write these words
i imagine you reading them
like you used to
and i am alone again
i want you to see
that i'm not better off
i miss you
turns out; more than i thought
and you're probably gone
left town with your heart
and i'm left here writing
singing, strumming, and calling it art

but it's not.

I need your arm around me
because i can't stand this feeling
i know i need your comfort
because i can't sing forever
my bones, my bones, they shake
i don't want your fake, fake
conclusions
whiskey illusions
and all this talk of demons
rids me of my reasons
gut grief
let me sleep