Blacken the Other Eye
On another
Waste of color
Dead on arrival
One through the roof of the mouth
He went under this complicit sun
Warm and free
Same old problem… ‘insufficient funds”
Will they always win
Pain eraser
Rainbow chaser
A rag in the tailpipe
Nobody saw her again
She went under this complicit sun
Almost free
Tandem driver, pickup idling by
And the search began
We went nowhere
We took the safe way
And no one cared
Windows bolted
Wanting the same things;
An unending ride
A complete rewind
The ultimate payday
No one cares
Reputation
Nothing but paper now
We sold ourselves out
And you don’t like violence
But you like the respect it commands
And you don’t touch the hard stuff
At least not with your bare hands
All it takes is just one day out in the sun
And the flies begin to blacken both eyes
What about restitution?
A knife in the armpit
A bullet below the tongue
Well if that’s where the line is
I will be still for both of us
No more worm in the apple
I will be sick for both of us
If it helps you remember
I will show you where it began
No more light in the window
Nothing left but the memories
I will be there
