Old Joe and the Rodeo
Old Joe and the rodeo
roping the words
wrangling the future
who needs drugs
where there's tomorrow.
I get this way when
I watch old John Prine
on the television show
singing old songs,
new songs and
me gotta go.
Talent is a brick
that hit my head
feet first and
a powerful thirst
kicks like a mule
concotions for a fool.
Chocolate mescaline
is tough discipline
for the unitiated
and the unwary
Buster Hymen
and popped her cherry,
Curley, Moe and Larry.
Could go on
hours like this
write 'em down
and make a list,
stung by the bee
and never been kissed.
Get in the groove
and don't get missed.
Ship keeled over
ancient mariner
lost in the mist.
Ship of fools
Hill of fools
Mystery schools
of yesterday,
today and
tomorrow.
Know no joy
knows no sorrows
and I'm the happiest
man alive, happiest
man alive again.
Oh-oh me gotta go.
Say it ain't so.
A lot of trouble we
gotta go to get born
right here in this
human realm, might as
well sing, might
as well dance
ain't luck, ain't
karma, ain't chance.
Right intention'll
get the little fellas
through, get the family
through the desert
like Manly in '49
from the Valley of Death.
Forgot to mention
I been there again
dunno where, dunno when
chopped up, cropped up,
hopped up biorhythms
and biorhymes, bioflavins,
let 'em shine, let 'em shine,
Anthem on the Sun,
always on the run,
lay down that gun
and have some real fun, son.
Lay down the pen, Rense
and mend every fence, hence,
posthaste, vouchsafe,
just a waif, a little feller,
gone with the wind.
Dustbag, feather duster,
feather boa, Doda, dodoes,
penguins, pelicans
auks and moas,
birds of a feather
turn of the weather.
Sentences and terms
repentenances and germs.
Grind 'em out and
may God let 'em learn
it's the fire we burn
and not us the flame
kindling, matchsticks,
heal the halt and the lame
Jesus on the Cross
always the price of fame.
Always me gotta go.
---Jack Oakes |
