go this wayyou have nothing to lose
there are trees
there will be a river
don’t pretend to know their names
there will be a farmhouse
a light for a traveler
it’s not for you
wait to be seen
it will be better this way
they will have time to choose
time to examine their conscience
recall the kindnesses
the cruelties
it’s the story of mouth and eyes
it’s the story of bodies
gathered and bound
speak of hope
speak of better times
then leave as if you knew
where it was you were going |
ill-tempered man lives herethese are the eyes
of the ill-tempered man
who is of two mindsthey know each other’s ways
they have battled over his soul
one mind is the mind of tenderness
the other cruelty
one mind is the mind of action
the other stillness
between two worlds
between two loves
the ill-tempered man moves
a pilgrim of sorrows
these are the eyes
of the ill-tempered man
may you never come to know
his fury |
this is NOT a safe placebut you knew that already
you knew because you made these marks
one for the law one for the crime
one for the jail house doin time
one for the chicken one for the pot
one for the water boiling hot
one for the fork one for the knife
one for the man who beats his wife
there are thieves about
this is true
believe or disbelieve the others
they have time to fade
time to lose their meaning
time to change
into something else
this is always true
think of everything
you can steal
then know this
there is always more
there is always someone
who will deprive you
as you have deprived them
the smoke of memory
is the smell of loss |
road is spoiled full of other hobossomething tells you
they are following the warm weather
something else tells you
they can suck pity from a stonemeeting them you felt nothing
resembling pity or misfortune
but instead a feeling of dread
you couldn’t explain
something tells you
to watch the birds for a sign
something else tells you
there is much to fear
the road has not changed
the trees have not moved
there is only the birds’ message
the faint music of sorrow
something tells you
it is a message about yourself
something else tells you
you are one of them |