The Ballad of Cameron Scott

This here tale is about a boy from the North
a friendly place, with nice trees and fresh grass, and no schools to go to
this is the story of a keen-eyed farmer's son in the burbs
this here now, is the ballad of Cameron Scott

Gotta believe what I'm talking about
This here Scott grew up on the farm
no jokes to play while milking the goats mid day
this boy was born, with a shadow over him
this boy was born in a place far up north

near the woods of Canada
in a shipyard, by the Hudson around he floated his mark
this here Cameron Scott
was all about the hammer, making sure nothing rot

When one day, mama told him
"you gotta get out of this rut, for if you don't, all land is lost"
so this freckled man Scott, or  Cameron as mama called
took trail to the shipyard and asked his dad which ship goes where
and he told this ones going East, hop on board, everything will be at peace

That day Cameron became a man, a Scott
understand the what
of a town called New York
but there was nothing new about it, only new to Cameron Scott

He landed on the boardwalk
and the first thing he saw was a carnival
he wrote to his mama a letter
saying he was free as a bird can be
but his mother never got the letter
her soul was being redeemed

He saw a screwdriver on the bench and put it in his trousers
for this bearded Cameron Scott, his new friend to be
he walked on by the train station
took himself out 50c and he rode that train a going
his mind on making the stand and sit down

his scruffy looks were upon him
he traveled til he sweat, piercing off his brow
and into some soup he found on the train
nothing like mama's homemade

being this Scott was a full time job
he learnt to read and write when he was five
and after just baling the hay
this new life hit Scott in the jaw for he's now a man of such grace

he bought a new pair of pants and a coat from grandmama's dimes
ready to hit the town, times square
ready now, up to the sky, bent his head, looking way up high
a miracle he thought, and he prayed to a god

Oh lord, you fancied me
A place to where I've never been
a place so high and mighty
you must live
i am fully with you now, my life as son begins

first coffeeshop he went into
saw a pretty girl in line
told her he'd buy her a coffee
and then she offered to buy him one

they sat near the window
no ball and chain, both were free and clear
"i think you're cute" she said to Scott
and he blushed his little freckly cheeks

the coffee was gone but she told him to come along
there's a movie I'm starring in
they need me in 5, so both ran til they tired
and they made it just in time

the director was a silhoutte, a little belly in fact
"you're on" he said to the girl i just met
and now the lights and cameras were on
and he said we're rolling on

she looked away but she was alive in play
and he watched with his arm on a chair
she was gorgeous yet crude and i believed in her too
until the chair got loose and i fell into her

"cut!" said the man, "what the hell is the plan"
then he looked on the screen
"oh lordly let it be,
this man is your perfect partner"

So he asked Scott to stay, and jump into some scenes
when he played with his hair and smiled indeed\
and his thumb was out of his pocket
he was like that for 5 dollars a day

and the girl that he found
in a coffee shop downtown
made it all happen quick
and they hugged and they kissed

and their souls are on the director's screen
for you to idolize and be free
this is the ballad of Cameron Scott
it really makes sense to me

Holley Burroughs

There was a man
on the outside of town
in east Georgia
where they never get around

the sheriff of the town
sat down with a frown
he needed this man
to do a deed unkind

The man was Holley Burroughs
The sheriff Jim Quick
two ends of the law
might make the scene quick

Jim Quick was a man of determination
where the lads of the force
made him look for consideration
laughing he`s not that quick

Burroughs was a drunk
always carried a pistol
even at communion
his pistol at his side

They watched each other
like two flies caught in a net
seeing who acts first
and whatever may be the bet

Quick found Burroughs at the ol`gambling hall
playing roulette and shuffling the cards
no cry from Mona, the senators son
gin rummy and blackjack
ain`t it the cause

staking him out, Jim Quick found a way
to make use of the bum
and heed his name on the wall
this isn`t the story of  Jim Quick

Burroughs dealing blackjack
a tip for a trip
then Quick`s boys busted in like light
all the hooligan`s ran in fright
hell, even one jumped out of the window
to save his might

ol`Burroughs jumped around
threw Quick the senators son
the man Quick wanted
disappeared in the dark

Quick was pissed man
so close was his man
which man
his man
so close
could taste the joke
of this man
ol`Burroughs man

Now that town never saw Burroughs
nor Jim Quick again
the story chiseled on the wall
of city hall
and a bust of Burrough`s
on top of that wall
making Jim crawl
his hooligan on the wall
the noose told it all

the noose told it all

sweet tar woman

my baby found me
in the Alberta swamp
she looking for oil
she looking to mop

now when she gets down
as slow as slow can get
i kiss her so gently
ain't that it

two by two make four sometimes
deep in the swamps
can't find your find
and i know she loves me lots
but she cries all night

waiting up for her baby
her daddy and her friend too
she's starting to smell like glue

there's no food for daddy
there's no food for jude
keep up the rations
what else can i do

sweet tar woman
gonna let me in
i'll break down the door
and sleep on your floor
my sweet tar holy woman

she's making breakfast
im making lunch
i wrap my arms around the bump
and she smiles
one more is enough

i think to think, i thought  myself
i hope its a boy
not so difficult
just go find a tree

sweet tar woman
make me scream all night
sweet tar woman
how i howl in fright

she reads from a cook book
i read jean-paul s
she points out a meal
and i ask why i exist

she puts down the book
and johnnys in the basement
i don't know what he's doing
all i smell is oleander

come over here baby
forget all them words
a shadow is worth more
than a smile ever could

sweet tar woman
what you gotta say
she stands on the corner
in the light of day

sweet tar woman might stress your mind
find out the fraction
you may abide your time
keep safe and lonely, and i will too

drinking coffee and my teeth are white
faster faster in the back of my wall
four you and for me

nowhere to go
stuck like bird roosting to call
don't eat no chicken
like most of you do
no disrespect
hell, i am the fool

sweet tar woman
pinching me in my dreams
sweet tar woman
she's got me on her knees

theres no moral to the story
but you read it so , there
if you want to be-in-the-world
don't fall over your underwear

lust

I saw a girl last night at the cafe
while I was reading a newspaper and drinking tea
I wasn't really reading the newspaper
only a way to get out and in the being

Her legs were wide open
and her friend wasn't kind
I thought it'd be easy
to walk over and say hi

The struggle in my mind told me to stay put
so i watched from afar
and we shared the same time
another tea for me

I wondered if this girl could be mine
or us
or whatever they call it now for short
does this ever happen to you

i mentally blew kisses
and she grabbed them out of the air
only a few though
cause my mind was on her

and the couple sitting beside me
trying to get me out and loose
he's in the same situation as me
only worse i think, now that im free

This girl would happen I thought in my head
as i mimicked teevee shows
and beside me went too
the only one laughing at my jokes

i cackled and hissed and I ached for this girl
she made me feel good
but too easy is untrue
i got the trick and she's mindfucking me

or maybe not
maybe its all in my head
closed for business the young man said
so i left with the news and forgot my cup

i could have laughed with her but stood away
sometimes something so easy
could make you feel
a little bit queesy

that guy

this man I know drank too much whiskey last night

he had two shots and he fell asleep on the bar

He wondered why he was at the bar

But it was her again, and by her I  mean nobody

But to him she meant something

Dailies in the spring

And sunflowers on the wood

It took him back in time

to those  days of wine and roses

and the mess they made

why did he drink you say?

to save his marriage

hell, to save himself

but no. this man could never be saved

cat hat

There once was a cat in a hat
who wrote himself a tale about himself
i think he was half stoned when he did it
and i watched him as i drank vodka water

the cat was nimble
he wouldn't give up
but his style and prose
makes mine look like dust

so i asked him his name while he took a pause
it was jacob, no, jerry, or something like that
he had to be back on the train in a hurry
but he did not finish his tale of the cat in a hat

so he gave it to me
my writing cap on
and he told me to break free
in order to complete the story from within

"forget all the ruffles and do dongs i wrote
this story is now yours, i wish you good luck"

so i thought and i frowned
and i drank and i stumbled
to the pisser of a washroom
no creator insightful

i washed my face and hair in the sink
goddamn it, i need more drink
they were selling drink everywhere
its popular like that, if you dare

but tonight i'm drinking Russian
just vodka and a kiss
so i left town with the story
a constant nuisance to be dismissed

how can i finish off
such a wonderful plan
or so i thought
i thanked and i thought

the ending of the story
involves me getting drunk

the vile one

I grabbed it again
the vile one
the one that soothes
the one that makes me do
what i cannot other wise

i love my drink and it tastes good
i haven't had a taste in 16 years
before my mother was born
why was i scared
presumptuous i gasp

but no, it's sitting there
on my night stand
a tad bit of juice
orange
with vodka
the only thirst

don't look in the mirror
you might see yourself
depraved and alone
on the toilet bowl

piss blood
and hack it out
the mucus, the phelgm
this drink is my lady for tonight
where has she gone
what has she done

questions? of questions
and peddle some sorrow
i ache to be healed
not by it, but by a loving touch
i love you so, i cannot go
and you're stuck in my head and in my mind
lost forever

simple, pure, odorless
this heavenly, the vodka
the Russians who made it
they knew what thirst meant
sitting in their bunkers
writing the best,
all over their chests

the light is dim
the nurse is calling
hide the bottle in the desk
and begin to process
the feeling of the thunder
the feeling of the unholy bliss