SPRING CHICKEN
I ain't no spring chicken, Can't feel my oats or even sow em'
No Spring chicken, don't impress the hens or even know em'
I was the rooster of the coop once chicky, you see
now all the pullets are pushin up daisies,
and I'm a rake with old hens teeth
I ain't no Spring chicken, the light is on but no ones home
No Spring chicken, my feather's thin but not my comb
All my eggs are in one basket, it's an antique weave
find a Dominicker ask it, he'll say there's nothing up my sleeve
No Spring Chicken, just leavin well enuff alone
No Spring Chicken, meats sweeter closer to the bone
Burning issues don't suprise me, it's just a fricassee
till somebody up and fries me, I'll get by on chicken feed
FENCEPOSTS
Sitting on my front porch, looking off across Blue Mesa
watching the sun set with a tall cool bottle of Cerveza
and I knew it was the last time, my heart was sinking like the setting sun.
30 years of running cattle, through these dry scrub valleys
I fought with the weather and I lived on Pinto beans and dry Tamales
Now I'm 70 years old, and the man from the county is saying I'm all done.
Just between you and me, and these fenceposts
I've lived too long, too far, from where the wire runs
Just between you and me, and these fenceposts,
I never thought this day, would ever come.
So tonight I'll saddle up, and I'll ride across the mesa to the land's edge
I'll look out across the canyons, and my spirit will be one, with the sand and sage
And you can have your fencelines,
My heart is soaring off across the desert floor
SHADOWS
I have to lose these memories, before the day is done,
You're not the only one
Man walks down one side, of a dusty road
Shadow walks down the other side
Your memory's like a Shadow, all the one's I've found
are just indiscreet enough to hang around
Half moon is the one light, that the shadow knows
He's just along for the ride
New moon in every one's world, new dawn in mine
Shadow want's to come back every time
GOODBYE VALENTINE
Someday I'll g back there, she turned to me and her long hair fell on my shoulder
and she thought of those high rolling hills
She gives me that old time feeling, takes me over the line,
But both she and the west wind know it's no go, goodbye Valentine.
When we met we let music, get under our skin,
you stole my blues, darling where have you been?
And I wanted to touch, your life with my hands
I've been wanting too much, I thought you'd understand
I wondered what kept you, from being so hard, when all of your times were
and I wanted to keep a little, piece of your heart, as a reminder.
You tried to tell me, what I may never learn
I'm playing with fire, I'm gonna get burned
So, darling tonight, when we turn out the lights
let everything change, out there on those High Plains
ONE STEP AT A TIME
If it's something to do with lonely, I'll understand it
If it's something to do with you, that's what I want
If it seems like it's taking too long, and you're worried it might turn out wrong
if you're lonely just say it, we'll take it, one step at a time
I've got you stuck in my mind, guess you'll just have to stay there
if I knew where you are right now, that's where I'd be
You know it's never too late, and I'm good at tempting fate
If you're lonely just say it, we'll take it, one step at a time
Well it's all right, all night, you lead the way
all day, through this old world, the whole world
And now we'll take it, one step at a time
TWO STEPPIN BLUES
I thought about that country song, I sang for so long
that special one that brought you to this bar
You really ought to come and hear, I'll buy you a beer
or maybe two, it's really not that far.
At a quarter til 9, we'll start right on time,
or real close to it, you could make it still
you might just be late, Hell no we can't wait
for too long, that dance floor is filled
Got used to seeing you there, I even warmed up your chair
I'd hate to think your dancin days are through
dance floor's gonna seem bare, without you there (I guess you don't care)
I don't know if I'll get used to your two steppin blues
Hey girl what's cooking at home? I hope you're alone
you're dancin shoes laid out on the floor
there's nothin good on t.v., darlin what's wrong with me?
at closing time I'll miss you even more.
CONFRONTATION WALTZ
They hadn't seen each other for weeks now
since their hot little romance went sour
now he's glaring at her from across the room
and it's supposed to be happy hour.
She's thinkin, "what did I see in him
that man ain't nothin but trouble"
he's thinkin, "I'll tell her what I think of her
just as soon as I finish this double"
And the band is playing her favorite song
as he's planning his verbal assaults
the setting is perfect as he crosses the room
for the band to play the Confrontation Waltz
"Don't bug me while the music is playing
shut up, and let me hear this song
Ain't no bidness, yo bidness, who I been laying
and I don't care who's doing who wrong
I just stopped in for the music
I didn't come to hear about my faults
so why don't you check out the other side of town
while the band plays the Confrontation waltz
Don't bother me, I'm on waltz time
it ain't just for bluehairs no more
I think you just crossed that fine line
so just waltz your ass out the door"
CHANGE IN MY POCKET
ain't got no change in my pocket, I gave it all to you
(repeat)
When you're down so low, all you've got left is the blues
Take this old guitar and hock it, they know me by my first name too
(repeat)
When you're down so low all you've got left is the blues
I got a rocket in my pocket, I'll light it up and turn it loose
(repeat)
When you're down so low all you've got left is the blues
PRIDE AFTER THE FALL
So this is how it turns out, when the fire finally burns out
this time I guess we learned, we really don't know much at all
Too late to talk about it, it's much too late to doubt it
so now we'll wait and find out, if there's pride after the fall
The wise men say, it's the only way
and we'll both carry on, and if after love is gone
we can't admit what caused it, we never should have lost it
the winner loses all, foolish pride after the fall
MARY MAGDELENE
I've seen you in the inner city, I've seen you on the corner
you began to build, you rose from the dust.
And it's faith that keeps you where you are
keeps you there, keeps you where, His heart is
If your life is a testament, if your love is a doorway
an offering this day, a promise for tomorrow
JUDE
In my garden in the morning, a gardener stood and told me
"You know, you've learned to garden well."
I told him, "Thank you kindly.: then asked him what his name was
he said, "Jude, somewhat obscure,"
as the patron saint of lost souls, I've a message for the morning
Margie says watch over him, it's no hopeless case, keep praying every day."
He sat down in the lawn chair, at a quarter past 11
and murmured somethng low I couldn't catch
He looked up toward heaven, and adjusted for the shade
said, :I bring a message from a friend."
chorus
She says," Savor some tomatoes from your garden
they're the thing she favors most you know.
she says she know's you're not happy, you're not where you want to be
she knows you'll find your way home someday"
chorus
Jude asked, "can I water?" I handed him the hose,
and the water arced across the rows in streams
At noon I went in to lunch, and I heard the water stop
and my backyard was empty once again
Going home, I'll be with you some fine day
Going home, show me the way
MOSES
Moses he was building him, a miracle machine
Gonna haul it onthe Ark, gonna lay it on a beam
Take it to the Temple (electrical crude, oil in the pan)
must have seemed wild, in the Holy Land then
BC Anno Domini, between the new and the old
Testaments all binding, that'ts what I was told
This Ark they cannot find her, ask the Ethiopians
tell you down in Africa, they always understand
58TH ST
There is a place I can go
where the world seems like distant dreams
There we start the day with a prayer, coffee and a smile
there we end the day with a prayer
discuss and then disconnect
things we can do nothing about
white walls and shadows
gold flecks in sky blue eyes
a dancer's gace
a mystic's understanding
shared grace from above
Those eyes took me to snowy fields
sunlight then mist through the pines
where a tall slender figure
walks beside a field of monuments, carrying red roses in her arms
stop- and watch
pause and learn
winter winds and warm summer clouds-
all alike when she sets the roses down,
takes me in her arms
and breathes softly
This is the place I will spend the rest of my days
