Small Town Novel

sunrise over the barn old hound in slow steep howl

never knew he mourns

lousy neighbours and I know it now

all roads lead to ruin so I lie back in my own heat

fresh bread and coffee smell like flesh burning in my sleep

my thoughts are darker than they’re deep

from an old abandoned well

stick around I’ll write the end of this small town novel

‘fix that broken glass’ torn screen whines on rusted hinge

bloodshot eyes roll past the finish line of another binge

sweating alcohol I lunch on pickled eggs and a dozen smokes on the porch

this year’s schoolgirls are the youngest yet

my thoughts are darker…

oh my sweet relief I got to cash you before five

I got nothing to offer same as what I got to hide

and all you wanna know about me you can get from what my enemies say

there’s notches on my barrel

all I'm afraid of is walking away

my thoughts are darker…

you start out bored you get used to the running creek

you get used to the smiles for every thief and whore and thug and cheat

I looked in every window and I know who loves his wife

I know who tells the dirty little lie

I know who lives the dirty little life

my thoughts are darker…

blue steel oiled and racked

someday my Sunday bell will ring

the paddies stripped me down love hung the rest on a wicked west wind

keep a bottle by the bedside an orphan key around my neck

a few pale blue forget-me-nots grow where I last stole someone’s breath

my thoughts are darker…