It Was Alright

a piece of glass
a sea shell
part of a broken doll
and some coral.
a few pieces of jewelry
and some special rocks
from that trip
to Australia
what I wouldn't do
if I could
be there
again
it would
be
1950
me meek
free from age
one book
a bible
I read every page
there was no way out
no martyr without
a painted pout
would you believe
me
if I said I met god
on the battlefield
and every rock
is a message sealed
where man makes
a deal buddy,
you peddle your
ideas
weak ideals
outside
men pretend to be men
just running in place
dirty
and wasted
pretending
to taste to the ceiling
while
they're awake
yeah, that is what they will say in the morning
weather they are brewing storms
every idea is the
same
like any man or woman
you can name
begging for bread
at the back door
we all look the same
piled high
in a hole in the ground
covered in quicklime
no way in
or out
that is supposed to be free
of pain
why do think
we're so afraid of change
of the potential of another day
why do
people have to beg anyway?
outside
your vision
sews jagged incisions
accusations falsely rebuffed
something, something bird guys
on that folkways label
no one can remember all
those folk records from 1953
how many bookshelves can
one man have?
to stave off guilt
to throw into the sea
or to the flames
how many books does it take
for one man to learn
to starve
to live and
rearrange laws
wonder if the sky wants stars
wonder what kind of place this is
where a man can lay down and die
but I'll take a swing
even though I don't know
with my good arm
even though
I don't know.