Town of Mirrors

Steady yourself & settle down,

You see the grass at the fence is
dead on both sides now;

Dreaming the role of a great man,

But the investment insures there
is no back-up plan.

CHORUS

Would you deny a deeper sight if, when you tried it,

     you could see things clearer?

     How would you live if you lived with
yourself in a Town of Mirrors (a Town of Mirrors)?

This is always a test, there’s no
need to worry,

And all perception at best is
only temporary.

Just a wink & a nod to a
dying age,

Through the rusty facade of an
open cage.

CHORUS

Save some room for love in your
heart.

Save some love for life in your
heart

 

Walking in Place

In a dreaming time, no answers to
no questions.

Pulling all the blinds…pretend

Filter out decay, nothing but the
light gets in

The same thing every day…content

CHORUS

It’s just too dangerous

No need to change our minds

     There’s far too much pain for us

     When walking in place is fine…walking in
place is fine

 

With a subtle shift, it all goes
out the window

A horrifying gift but so clear

The things we used to know, reflected
from “Gray’s mirror”

The first time we have grown…in
years

CHORUS

Walking in place is fine

Walking in place is fine

Walking in place…

Seems such a waste of time

 

The Old Gang

It’s funny how the old gang
stays,

The same in your head & no
other place;

It’s funny how the old gang dies,

Weddings & funerals to
recognize

     Your fingerprints on

     My fingerprints on…life

     I was a part of the old gang

It’s funny how the sounds in my
head

Smell like the pavement & the skins that
we’ve shed

It’s funny how the motion gets
slow

As parting glass credits continue
to roll

     Your fingerprints on

     My fingerprints on…life

     When I was a part of the old gang

CHORUS

     The lights have come up & they’ve turned me away

     I’m urgent as death beds while memory fades

     All things informed by the knowing of you

     It’s the old breaking down into pieces of new

     When I was a part of the old gang

     I was a part of the old gang

 

Cards

I have no history to speak of,

At least none I’m willing here to
tell;

Maybe someday you’ll hear the
stories,

About the heights from which I
fell.

I am an old man in a graveyard,

(just) taking time to case the
joint;

I’ve learned this short burst of
existence,

Is best played straight & to
the point.

CHORUS
   Twinkle twinkle, my little star

     I don’t know what you’ll be yet, only who you are

  The plan is simple, in this regard

   Take each moment slow, for change is in the cards

 (Yeah twinkle)

Just like my father always told
me,

You must remember who you are

And not just that but where you
came from,

Keep faith & kindness in your
heart.

Appreciate the things around you,

Don’t always trust the things you
think;

Don’t let your mind feed on the
bad times,

The Devil knows your weakest
link.

CHORUS

You are the history I’ll speak
of,

The one I’m willing here to tell;

Your life has raised me several
stories

Above the heights from which I
fell.

CHORUS

 

Invisible Today

Younger than I am when I went looking

Courage always follows failing plays

Younger than I thought I was for certain

Younger than today

CHORUS

     All the whispering & shadow

     Leaving something in its wake

     That will twist into tomorrow

     Things invisible today

Many times I’ve stood there making speeches

But didn’t do a single thing I said

Many times I’ve left my post unguarded

Many times I’ve fled

CHORUS

 

Darkroom

Only we know where to hide

Framing all the best intentions

Showing off the good side

We must be our own invention

CHORUS

We go down, down, down

     Into the darkroom

     Down, down, down

     We are all the “picture man”

Image after image

Pick an angle to present

Edit all the footage

Until we find ourselves content

CHORUS

Leave the clippings on the floor

And to the ring another key

A truth that lives behind a door

You are you & I am…me

CHORUS

 

To A Boy

CHORUS

    (It’s) Just a simple love song

     To a boy who sees the world through brand new eyes

     Just a simple love song

     To let you know no matter what you’ll be alright (alright)

I could spend my whole life doing
nothing but just listening to you breathe

And I would give up all the hours
I’ve gained to sit & watch you as you sleep

I can’t remember any sound I
heard before I heard you laugh

I measure my existence by the
hours & the days that you have had

CHORUS

When you feel the burden of a
world that doesn’t feel this way at all

You will have these pictures to
remind you of those things you can’t recall

I will be beside you even when I’m
gone & nothing feels the same

Know that I have loved you from a
time before I ever spoke your name

CHORUS

(it’s gonna be alright)

A simple love song to a boy

 

Improvising Gabriel

You’re improvising Gabriel,

And hoping no one here can tell

That you don’t know what key you’re in;

How can harkening begin?

 

There’s “paper tigers” at the bar,

It’s all suburban blues guitar (to me);

The corners cut that take too long

Leave a hollow empty song.

 

Beware the trumpet out of tune

And comfort when it comes too soon

And perfect painted empty shells

And improvising Gabriel!

 

 

Story

When I look at you, I don’t see
anything else,

And when I’m next to you I feel
the most like myself;

There’s nothing so beautiful here
on the ground or above,

Come & go with me, come &
grow old with me, love.

CHORUS

This is our story & I know for sure how
it ends;

     Before we were born there was love &
it always was meant…to be.

Someday I’ll buy you that little
home down by the sea,

And I’ll sing you love songs
while you sit there laughing at me;

We can tell jokes about all of
the worries we had,

And I will remind you to always
remind me to laugh.

CHORUS

 

In Memoriam

I am amazed how you can fly

In skies so heavy on my shoulders;

Spinning pictures that collide,

I am, but you’re not, looking
older.

CHORUS

     Remember me to all your friends,

     I have been shaken by events

     That have forced me to consider what’s been done

     How I’m still here & you’re all gone
(it makes me wonder)

     Why I’m still here but you’re all gone.

The yellowing of documents

Seasons changing, forward motion;

All these tears they must contain,

the healing salt that fills the
oceans.

CHORUS

 

 

Ship Song

All the oars are idle; the well is dry as bones;

Gather ‘round the big wheel boys,
there’s talk of going home.

It might take a long time to recover,

     The spirit song still echoes in the hall

     It might take forever to discover,

     The benefit if any or at all.

Half the crew’s abandoned &
maybe they were right;

We set off in sunshine; I’ll be
sneaking home by night.

Half the trip was uphill, half was falling

    & never once the wind was at our backs

    Study the futility of flying

    & how it ends with wings prepared from wax.

Lay me down to sleep now, the
dream is still the same;

The sails a different color, the
ship a different name.

It might take a long time to recover,

     The amplifiers ringing in the hall

     It might take forever to discover,

     The benefit if any or at all