"Science describes accurately from outside, poetry describes accurately from inside.
Science explicates, poetry implicates." Ursula K. Le Guin

On a dark desert highway
In the comfort of my seat
I reclined with a novel
Contemplating something to eat

Up ahead in the cabin
A first-run movie was shown
With many choices I decided to
Comfortably doze on my throne

Welcome to the High Speed California
Such a Brighter mode, such an easy load
We're living it up on the High Speed California
What a nice surprise, no more alibis

My mind was Tiffany-twisted
I drove the Mercedes Benz
To Vegas it was always hell
The drive never reached an end

I was stuck on the freeway
Soaked in summer sweat
Once I drove, I remember
Now I ride to forget

Welcome to the High Speed California
Such a Brighter mode, no more on the road
There's no time wasted on the High Speed California
No more stop n go, no more traffic woes

So I called up the steward
Please bring me my wine
He said yes we have that vintage here
No more waiting in line

Once those horns were calling from far away
Stressed me out in the middle of the drive
Never again, I pray.

Welcome to the High Speed California
Such a Brighter mode, it's the mother lode
There's plenty of room on the High Speed California
For a Vegas jaunt, what more could you want

Last thing I remember
I was at a Vegas show
Knowing I already had
A passage back to home

Relax, said the train man
We are always here to please
You can come back any time you like
And get to Sin City with ease

Attraction, infatuation
Contemplation took a back seat
Isolation, separation
You spoke by using your feet

I guess that I'm no better
I know that song's been sung
But the taste of what you did to me
Stays bitter on my tongue

Foolishness, benightedness
Darkness we did share
Condemnation, revocation
In hindsight still not clear

We've drawn each other through the mud
Is the jury out or hung
And the taste of what came in between
Stays bitter on my tongue

Apprehension, realization
Emotions start to surge
Aspiration, enlightenment
The path will soon emerge

I want to be a different man
Will the odds remain far-flung
To replace the taste that lingers still
With sweetness on my tongue

Came home drunk once again, dropped my keys on the porch
and danced with the rack by the door
Bumped my shin on the table that somebody moved
And tripped on a bag on the floor
The clock sounded three, I could hear myself breathe
... just bumps in the night, nothing more

I walked down the hall, to the sounds of her sleeping
But afraid to turn on the light
I guess that she found, and was used to the sound
Of things that go bump in the night

The cab pulled up slowly, the door opened softly,
No keys were dropped at the door
She silently walked and opened the closet
And dragged her bag 'cross the floor
Quick steps from the porch, the cab pulled away
... no more bumps in the night anymore

No sounds on the stairs, no noise in the bath,
No need now to turn on the light
I guess that I've found, she did not like the sound
Of things that go bump in the night

She's no longer here, no longer my light
Stayed longer than needed, that was her right
Left early one morning, and drove out of sight
I guess she grew tired of bumps in the night

The cab pulled up slowly, the horn called my name
I was leaving to get myself right
Too many nights out, in too many bars
Too many next morning fights
It was easy to see, when alone in my bed
... I made too many mistakes in my life

No laughs on the stairs, no smiles in the bath,
No need to turn off the light
As I slammed the door closed, and the cab pulled away
... I swore no more bumps in the night

No more bumps in the night anymore ...
No more bumps in the night anymore ...

~~~

They say life goes fast, but sometimes slow
When you're learnin' things, you need to know
The lesson's hard, when the pain won't ease

You figure you got, all the time
You'll have your chances, down the line
But soon one day, you'll be prayin' on your knees

You gotta share every moment, with those in your life
Or those hours spent alone are gonna cut like a knife
Hours turn to empty days, empty days to lonely nights
And life moves on ... faster than the speed of light

You've made your choices, some wrong, some right
The ones that matter now, seem out of sight
Maybe life don't let you, pick and choose

All you ever wanted, if you kept track
Is someone to love, who will love you back
Why's it seem that you're the one to always lose

You gotta share every moment, with people in your life
Or those hours spend alone are gonna cut like a knife
Hours turn to empty days, empty days to lonely nights
And life moves on ... faster than the speed of light

Time flies by, like the love you lack
And when it's gone ... it ain't ever comin' back

Searchin' all the juke joints, the dance halls, and dives
Lookin' 'cross the bar when every woman arrives
Every night I see the ladies blessed with beauty and with charms
But I never found the perfect one to wrap up in my arms

It's always, baby, I'm so sorry,
though you're gorgeous as can be
I can't be the one you're looking for
'cause you're just not perfect for me

She lit up my eyes, slid like silk through the door
Had a smile to kill, as she danced 'cross the floor
I found that perfect woman, then I took it in and saw
My heart just sank, when I spied that fatal flaw

And I said, baby, I'm so sorry,
and it seems so hard to believe
Everything about you, girl
You're just too perfect for me

You're dancing 'cross the floor, like you're floatin' on a star
And every guy is watching, so that must be what you are
I don't think that any other woman, could ever ever be
So I'm standing here, I'm out of luck, you're just too perfect for me

Yesterday I saw that girl, she remembered me from that night
I apologized for not dancing with her, said it just didn't seem quite right
She said it didn't matter, and she grinned from ear to ear
If I'd asked, she said, she'd just say no, but why you gotta hear

She said, honey, it's as plain as day
I don't need to enter a plea
Everything about you, boy
You're just too perfect for me

Darling, we've made the same mistake, it's all now becoming clear
We've got nothing to lose and everything to gain 'cause together we're a perfect pair

Baby, we both see it now
And it looks so clear to see
Everything about us, baby
We're as perfect as we're gonna be

~~~

Can I stare forever into your eyes
Never blinking, never turning away
And you do the same to me?

Can you speak of your past and our future
And drift in the moments between your words
And I do the same for you?

Can our senses like fingers pressed to a mirror
Feel surface tension melt away
While the touch remains intact?

Can we lose ourselves within each other
Sharing space and bending time
Tuning out the ticking world?

Driving through the heat of day into the long cool night
I was feeling worn and ragged when the neon came in sight
I had driven through El Paso and was aching to my core
But I pushed on through the night, with my foot pressed to the floor

The moonlit highway exit sign, led me off the interstate
A pillow called my name to sleep, before it got too late
Down the empty desert highway, through the city fast asleep
The truck stops filled with semis, and the diner signs for "eats"

Lord, I got to lay my body down, and get some rest tonight
So I blessed the stars above, when Lordsburg came in sight

I picked the first motel I saw, got the key and found my place
It was not quite dawn when I awoke and splashed water 'cross my face
I could not remember where I was, until the daylight came
And a sign across the parking lot, said Lordsburg was the name

I stared north in the light of dawn, toward the distant Burro Hills
'cross the frontage road and train tracks, in the desert's morning chill
One freight train was moving east, back from where I came
Another one was heading west, though they both looked just the same

Lord, I had to lay my body down, but I made it through the night
So I blessed my lucky stars, to see Lordsburg in the light

Years before I'd driven through this desert still unchanged
With the trucks and trains and people, most of them without a name
There are cheap motels and fast food joints, and a lot that one can't see
Each boarded-up abandoned store, hid a tale of history

There are people out there on the road, and some rooted in this place
Each has signs of pain and joy, etched deep upon their face
An emptiness surrounds me now, and it lingers day by day
And I'm guessing just like Lordsburg, it will never fade away

Lord give me the strength I need, to last another day
I can't go back so I'm moving on, there ain't no other way

Lord, I got to lay my body down, and ease this stressful life
So I'm hoping I'll find Lordsburg, when I finally say good night

Two souls converged, a saint and a second
Two futures emerged, with toes in the sand
With parallel ways, two hearts alike,
But miles apart, a puzzle so grand

Can this distance be mapped, in miles and time
Is the space in between, in only their minds
Counting the chances, on the shore of the sea

Can two strangers so quickly, find common ground
Can two strangers so hopeful, look past the sound
Of sane voices singing, it never could be

Two paths diverged, no second, no saint
Two weeks passed by, the chances grew faint
Are they too closely linked, to even have doubt,
That they're too far apart, to have it work out.

Two flames still burn, two candles apart
Images and words, flow from two hearts
Beauty within, searching for light
One is the morning, the other the night

Do brush stokes reflect your dreaming
Do pen strokes obscure my meaning
Are we puzzles that need to be solved
Or enigmas to stay unresolved

Parallel lines, we share some traits
Our lines now cross, one curved, one straight
Are the words you speak a form of play
Do images I show reflect my ways

Are your colors and hues the spark for my fire
Does the blush on your face reflect my desire
Are we able to find the philosopher's stone
An eternal perfection of days spent alone

Burning embers, enlightened bliss
Can we foresee by that first kiss
A blazing tryst, a lasting fire
Or smoke and ash of inflamed desire

A shared existence could be the end
Will we be lovers, or just be friends
Can I see beyond what others view
And learn the art of loving you

Sun light reflects, in water below
The end of day, the fading glow
Each step I take, more sure I know
That beauty remains, as I look back over my shoulder

The route may change, and the terrain
Miles add up with altitude gain
The view will vary, never the same
And beauty remains, as I pass through brush and boulders

The path grows rough, I feel the strain
The wind blows cold, it could be rain
Little less light, little more pain
But beauty remains, though my heart is getting much older

Step after step, time slows my pace
Crags on the trail, lines on my face
I stay the search, but find no trace
Will beauty remain, when I reach the end to hold her

The morning sun starts to warm my face
There's a path ahead, but behind no trace
Of where I've been, or where I want to go

The spring time breeze flowing through the trees
The beauty I see could bring me to my knees
But I only take a moment to stop and enjoy the show

You're with me now as I walk alone
As I slowly climb to raise my mood
Are you the one who was born to love me
Or is my destination ... solitude

I think to myself although you're not there
The unspoken words we somehow can share
And in my heart I think that you will know

It's not that I don't care for you
Though today my eyes scan another view
As vast as the ocean spreading out below

You're with me now as I walk alone
I slowly climb to raise my mood
Are you the one who was born to love me
Or is my destination ... solitude

I double back, the way I came
The path I chose, too great a strain
You would have told me so, if you were there

I'll look for you at the end of the day
To tell you now that I've found my way
And hope your touch will tell me that you care

You're with me now and I hold you close
I'll never let go, if you'll have me, too
Are you the one I was born to love
Or is my destination ... solitude

I've had my share of ups and downs
I've lived on the edge of a knife
I've fallen hard for a woman or two
But I've been alone for most of my life

So I'm waiting for just a little peace
I've got my eyes looking out for a sign
I've been in trouble and was headed south
Could I be saved in the nick of time

Out on my own, I knew I'd make mistakes
Whether trying real hard or not
I've been on both sides of unexpected breaks
But an easy life was not my lot.

I'm hoping for a change in the way the wind blows
I've got my eyes looking out for a sign
Down on my luck and I was headed south
Would I be saved in the nick of time

Much to my surprise, you walked into my life
You were looking at the future not my past
You listened to my schemes and I fell into your dreams
It was feeling like a match that could last

What I see in your eyes and feel in your kiss
Ain't no omen but a heavenly sign
I've been out on my own and was headed south
But you saved me in the nick of time

An island in the ocean
A reef surrounds your shore
I search across the water for your eyes
I feel the hours passing
As I sink into the sand
And wait alone beneath the burning skies

I've tried to close the distance
Starting over every day
I've come a thousand miles
But I'm still four miles away

The sun beats down upon my brow
Salt water burns my eyes
Which way the currents flow I am not sure
Bewitched by what may not exist
As I pass these days alone
Unsure how long this soul can still endure

I've forced a hundred smiles
Tangled thoughts got in the way
I've come a thousand miles
But I'm still four miles away

Your eyes have kept my heart alive
But my soul needs something more
Are you the cure for my disease
Or will I drown upon your shore

I set sail in the morning
Unsure when night may fall
A castaway who's life remains in vain
Will the current take me closer
Will the reef keep me away
Time becomes the distance I must gain

I've passed through all these moments
Is there something left to say
I've come a thousand miles
But I'm still four miles away

I've come a thousand miles
But I'm still four miles away ...

I'm still four miles away ...

A soft gray morning, with light falling rain
I hastened my path to the door
Already waiting, she smiled my name
It was what I had wished for, no more

A lamp brushed with passion
Still only grants three
This first left me hoping for more
Though late in the game
Can love come to be
After three will I wish I had four?

The sun shined brightly, I longed for love's reign
As I waited outside the door
Rounding the corner, she smiled her name
I knew not what end was in store

A lamp brushed with passion
Still only grants three
The second had left me unsure
One wish remaining
Can love set me free
Could a wish ever become my cure?

Excitement within, expectance without
I once again wait by the door
The difference is real, my nerves are on edge
The evening burned deep in my core

A lamp brushed with passion
Still only grants three
And the last of my wishes was cast
Each wish drew me close
But left me apart
Would my future be just like my past?

I wish I did not have those wishes
Though my hopes are much greater it seems
Will my future be slowly emerging
Or just wishes entangled in dreams?

A lamp brushed with passion
Still only grants three
But my heart has an infinite store
Tomorrow remains
Could love come to be
I awaken each day to find more

1. Dissolution [Fall]

[Mind]
Words that are written, words that aren't read
Thoughts that take form, but can't be expressed

[Heart]
Missing the passion, yearning for wonder
Reach for connection, hopes cast asunder

[Soul]
Awashed in an ocean, and cast to an isle
Too small for us both, is love just denial

2. Purgatory [Winter]

[Heart]
A blanket that warmed, a bed that now smothers
A love that once burned, now burns for another

[Soul]
A yearning for real, bitter taste of pretend
I try to continue, but can't reach an end

[Mind]
What's left is the mire, my dreams have all fled
A path toward the pyre, is now dead ahead

3. Resurrection [Spring]

[Heart]
Still held in my soul, arm's length in my mind
Can hearts move ahead, when love's left behind

[Soul]
Can the source of my sorrow, be the salve for my soul
Are my wounds self-inflicted, a self-imposed toll

[Mind]
Dead man walking, forward he lies
A hard work in progress, or a final disguise

Am I blue?
Or am I just gray?
Or maybe I'm just someone lost here, somewhere, south of LA

But I'm looking ahead
Not much left behind
I'm on a brand new path and I'm thinking that the future looks fine

But will there be a light to guide me along the way?
Or could there just be someone beside me, who just might say?

I'm here with you
No matter what we do
I too am lost, and gray, and maybe just a little blue

But I'm going your way
At least as far as I can see
And if you're going my way it'd be nice if you were going with me

Will you be the light to guide me along my way?
Will you be the someone beside me, to walk with me through my day?

It might be step by step, before it's hand in hand
Till we see what tomorrow might bring
And whether rain or shine, we'll be flying on by
Just like two birds on the wing, so

We may be blue
But so is the sea
And now I'm only thinking about how wonderful tomorrow might be

So am I blue?
No, I'm not blue
Now that I'm with you
So how about you?

Grief is the price of love
Made all the more dear
By having to bear
The cost after love departs

Rap your knuckles, sing your blues
We're rolling down your avenues
With a high colonic that you just can't live without
I'll drain the swamp, wall out the kung flu
I'm the only one that can make it all true
It's what my message to you is all about

A Big Mac extract's in my elixir
With Chloroquine as the amazing fixer
You gotta buy it now and keep on coming back
We'll shower you with disinfectant rains
And shine UV lights inside your veins
There's no need to social distance or wear a mask

You can be my apprentice, I'm your snake oil man
pushing hate, lies and pain, anyway that I can
but you can't live without me ...
... 'cause I'm making us great again

The fake news says that my medicine show
Is not as perfect as my sycophants know
All these hoaxes and witch hunts are gonna make me sue
If you think you're ill, don't ask don't tell
And don't expect no test and it's just as well
You gotta get back to work 'cause I've got some golfin' to do

You can be my apprentice, I'm your snake oil man
pushing hate, lies and pain, anyway that I can
but you can't live without me ...
... 'cause I'm making us great again

I'm all thumbs when I am speaking, but I can tweet all day in spades
About Fox and Friends and executive orders I've made
I got one hand on the bible, my favorite book I've never read
I always speak my mind and disavow all the lies that I've said

Only my life matters, not those other cases
And I'm keeping rebel names on those military bases
And statues just where good people had them all erected
We're going back in time to when America was great
With this stable genius, it's never too late
If my people come together and get me re-elected

You can be my apprentice, I'm your snake oil man
pushing hate, lies and pain, anyway that I can
but you can't live without me ...
... 'cause I'm making us great again

'cause I'm making us great again
Making me great again ...
Making me great ...

~~~