The Flame Read online

  And there’s nothing to do

  But to wonder if you

  Are as hopeless as me

  And as decent

  We’re joined in the spirit

  Joined at the hip

  Joined in the panic

  Wondering if

  We’ve come to some sort

  Of agreement

  It was fine it was fast

  I was first I was last

  In line at the Temple of Pleasure

  But the green was so green

  And the blue was so blue

  I was so I

  And you were so you

  The crisis was light

  As a feather

  Thanks for the dance

  It’s been hell, it’s been swell,

  It’s been fun

  Thanks for all the dances

  One two three, one two three one

  Old Ideas

  GOING HOME

  I love to speak with Leonard

  He’s a sportsman and a shepherd

  He’s a lazy bastard living in a suit,

  Living in a suit

  But he does say what I tell him

  Even though it isn’t welcome

  He just doesn’t have the freedom

  To refuse

  He will speak these words of wisdom

  Like a sage, a man of vision

  Though he knows he’s really nothing

  But the brief elaboration of a tube

  Going home

  Without my sorrow

  Going home

  Sometime tomorrow

  Going home

  To where it’s better

  Than before

  Going home

  Without my burden

  Going home

  Behind the curtain

  Going home

  Without the costume

  That I wore

  He wants to write a love song

  An anthem of forgiving

  A manual for living with defeat

  A cry above the suffering

  A sacrifice recovering

  But that isn’t what I need him to complete

  I want to make him certain

  That he doesn’t have a burden

  That he doesn’t need a vision

  That he only has permission

  To do my instant bidding

  Which is to SAY what I have told him

  To repeat

  Going home

  Without my sorrow

  Going home

  Sometime tomorrow

  Going home

  To where it’s better

  Than before

  Going home

  Without my burden

  Going home

  Behind the curtain

  Going home

  Without this costume

  That I wore

  I love to speak with Leonard

  He’s a sportsman and a shepherd

  He’s a lazy bastard

  Living in a suit

  AMEN

  Tell me again

  When I’ve been to the river

  And I’ve taken the edge off my thirst

  Tell me again

  We’re alone & I’m listening

  I’m listening so hard that it hurts

  Tell me again

  When I’m clean and I’m sober

  Tell me again

  When I’ve seen through the horror

  Tell me again

  Tell me over and over

  Tell me you want me then

  Amen

  Tell me again

  When the victims are singing

  And Laws of Remorse are restored

  Tell me again

  That you know what I’m thinking

  But vengeance belongs to the lord

  Tell me again

  When I’m clean and I’m sober

  Tell me again

  When I’ve seen through the horror

  Tell me again

  Tell me over and over

  Tell me that you love me then

  Amen

  Amen

  Amen

  Amen

  Tell me again

  When the day has been ransomed

  & night has no right to begin

  Try me again

  When the angels are panting

  And scratching the door to come in

  Tell me again

  When I’m clean and I’m sober

  Tell me again

  When I’ve seen through the horror

  Tell me again

  Tell me over and over

  Tell me that you need me then

  Amen

  Amen

  Amen

  Amen

  Tell me again

  When the filth of the butcher

  Is washed in the blood of the lamb

  Tell me again

  When the rest of the culture

  Has passed thru’ the

  Eye of the Camp

  Tell me again

  When I’m clean and I’m sober

  Tell me again

  When I’ve seen through the horror

  Tell me again

  Tell me over and over

  Tell me that you love me then

  Amen

  Amen

  Amen

  Amen

  SHOW ME THE PLACE

  Show me the place

  Where you want your slave to go

  Show me the place

  I’ve forgotten, I don’t know

  Show me the place

  For my head is bending low

  Show me the place

  Where you want your slave to go

  Show me the place

  Help me roll away the stone

  Show me the place

  I can’t move this thing alone

  Show me the place

  Where the Word became a man

  Show me the place

  Where the suffering began

  The troubles came

  I saved what I could save

  A thread of light

  A particle a wave

  But there were chains

  So I hastened to behave

  There were chains

  So I loved you like a slave

  Show me the place

  Where you want your slave to go

  Show me the place

  I’ve forgotten, I don’t know

  DARKNESS

  I caught the darkness

  Drinking from your cup

  I caught the darkness

  Drinking from your cup

  I said: Is this contagious?

  You said: Just drink it up

  I got no future

  I know my days are few

  The present’s not that pleasant

  Just a lot of things to do

  I thought the past would last me

  But the darkness got that too

  I should have seen it coming

  It was right behind your eyes

  You were young and it was summer

  I just had to take a dive

  Winning you was easy

  But darkness was the prize

  I don’t smoke no cigarette

  I don’t drink no alcohol

  I ain’t had much loving yet

  But that’s always been your call

  Hey I don’t miss it baby

  I got no taste for anything at all

  I used to love the rainbow

  I used to love the view

  I loved the early morning

  I’d pretend that it was new

  But I caught the darkness baby

  And I got it worse than you

  I caught the darkness

  Drinking from your cup

  I caught the darkness

  Drinking from your cup

  I said: Is this contagious?

  You said: Just drink it up

  ANYHOW

  It’s a shame and it’s a pity
>
  The way you treat me now

  I know you can’t forgive me

  But forgive me anyhow

  The ending got so ugly

  Even heard you say

  You never ever loved me

  Oh but love me anyway

  Dreamed about you baby

  You were wearing half your dress

  I know you have to hate me

  But could you hate me less?

  I used up all my chances

  And you’ll never take me back

  But there ain’t no harm in asking

  Could you cut me one more slack?

  I’m naked and I’m filthy

  And there’s sweat upon my brow

  And both of us are guilty

  Anyhow

  Have mercy on me baby

  After all I did confess

  Even though you have to hate me

  Could you hate me less?

  It’s a shame and it’s a pity

  I know you can’t forgive me

  The ending got so ugly

  You never ever loved me

  Dreamed about you baby

  I know you have to hate me

  I’m naked and I’m filthy

  And both of us are guilty

  Anyhow

  Have mercy on me baby

  CRAZY TO LOVE YOU

  Had to go crazy to love you

  Had to go down to the pit

  Had to do time in the tower

  Begging my crazy to quit

  Had to go crazy to love you

  You who were never the one

  Whom I chased through the souvenir heartache

  Her braids and her blouse all undone

  Sometimes I’d head for the highway

  I’m old and the mirrors don’t lie

  But crazy has places to hide in

  Deeper than saying goodbye

  Had to go crazy to love you

  Had to let everything fall

  Had to be people I hated

  Had to be no one at all

  I’m tired of choosing desire

  Been saved by a sweet fatigue

  The gates of commitment unwired

  And nobody trying to leave

  Sometimes I’d head for the highway

  I’m old and the mirrors don’t lie

  But crazy has places to hide in

  Deeper than saying goodbye

  Had to go crazy to love you

  You who were never the one

  Whom I chased through the souvenir heartache

  Her braids and her blouse all undone

  COME HEALING

  O gather up the brokenness

  And bring it to me now

  The fragrance of those

  promises

  You never dared to vow

  The splinters that you carry

  The cross you left behind

  Come healing of the body

  Come healing of the mind

  And let the heavens hear it

  The penitential hymn

  Come healing of the spirit

  Come healing of the limb

  Behold the gates of mercy

  In arbitrary space

  And none of us deserving

  The cruelty or the grace

  O solitude of longing

  Where love has been confined

  Come healing of the body

  Come healing of the mind

  O see the darkness yielding

  That tore the light apart

  Come healing of the reason

  Come healing of the heart

  O troubled dust concealing

  An undivided love

  The Heart beneath is teaching

  To the broken Heart above

  O let the heavens falter

  And let the earth proclaim:

  Come healing of the Altar

  Come healing of the Name

  O longing of the branches

  To lift the little bud

  O longing of the arteries

  To purify the blood

  And let the heavens hear it

  The penitential hymn

  Come healing of the spirit

  Come healing of the limb

  O let the heavens hear it

  The penitential hymn

  Come healing of the spirit

  Come healing of the limb

  BANJO

  There’s something that I’m watching

  Means a lot to me

  It’s a broken banjo bobbing

  On the dark infested sea

  Don’t know how it got there

  Maybe taken by the wave

  Off of someone’s shoulder

  Or out of someone’s grave

  It’s coming for me darling

  No matter where I go

  Its duty is to harm me

  My duty is to know

  There’s something that I’m watching

  Means a lot to me

  It’s a broken banjo bobbing

  On the dark infested sea

  LULLABY

  Sleep baby sleep

  The day’s on the run

  The wind in the trees

  Is talking in tongues

  If your heart is torn

  I don’t wonder why

  If the night is long

  Here’s my lullaby

  Well the mouse ate the crumb

  Then the cat ate the crust

  Now they’ve fallen in love

  They’re talking in tongues

  If your heart is torn

  I don’t wonder why

  If the night is long

  Here’s my lullaby

  Sleep baby sleep

  There’s a morning to come

  The wind in the trees

  they’re talking in tongues

  If your heart is torn

  I don’t wonder why

  If the night is long

  Here’s my lullaby

  DIFFERENT SIDES

  We find ourselves on different sides

  Of a line that nobody drew

  Though it all may be one in the higher eye

  Down here where we live it is two

  I to my side call the meek and the mild

  You to your side call the Word

  By virtue of suffering I claim to have won

  You claim to have never been heard

  Both of us say there are laws to obey

  But frankly I don’t like your tone

  You want to change the way I make love

  I want to leave it alone

  The pull of the moon the thrust of the sun

  And thus the ocean is crossed

  The waters are blessed while a shadowy guest

  Kindles a light for the lost

  Both of us say there are laws to obey

  But frankly I don’t like your tone

  You want to change the way I make love

  I want to leave it alone

  Down in the valley the famine goes on

  The famine up on the hill

  I say that you shouldn’t you couldn’t you can’t

  You say that you must and you will

  Both of us say there are laws to obey

  But frankly I don’t like your tone

  You want to change the way I make love

  I want to leave it alone

  You want to live where the suffering is

  I want to get out of town

  C’mon baby give me a kiss

  Stop writing everything down

  Both of us say there are laws to obey

  But frankly I don’t like your tone

  You want to change the way I make love

  I want to leave it alone

  Both of us say there are laws to obey

  But frankly I don’t like your tone

  You want to change the way I make love

  I want to leave it alone

  Popular Problems

  SLOW

  I’m slowing down the
tune

  I never liked it fast

  You want to get there soon

  I want to get there last

  It’s not because I’m old

  It’s not the life I led

  I always liked it slow

  That’s what my momma said

  I’m lacing up my shoe

  But I don’t want to run

  I’ll get here when I do

  Don’t need no starting gun

  It’s not because I’m old

  It’s not what dying does

  I always liked it slow

  Slow is in my blood

  I always liked it slow:

  I never liked it fast

  With you it’s got to go:

  With me it’s got to last

  It’s not because I’m old

  It’s not because I’m dead

  I always liked it slow

  That’s what my momma said

  All your moves are swift

  All your turns are tight

  Let me catch my breath

  I thought we had all night

  I like to take my time

  I like to linger as it flies

  A weekend on your lips

  A lifetime in your eyes

  I always liked it slow:

  I never liked it fast

  With you it’s got to go:

  With me it’s got to last

  It’s not because I’m old

  It’s not the life I led

  I always liked it slow

  That’s what my momma said

  I’m slowing down the tune

  I never liked it fast

  You want to get there soon

  I want to get there last

  So baby let me go

  You’re wanted back in town

  In case they want to know

  I’m just trying to slow it down

  ALMOST LIKE THE BLUES

  I saw some people starving

  There was murder, there was rape

  Their villages were burning

  They were trying to escape

  I couldn’t meet their glances

  I was staring at my shoes

  It was acid, it was tragic

  It was almost like the blues

  I have to die a little

  Between each murderous thought

  And when I’m finished thinking

  I have to die a lot

  There’s torture and there’s killing

  There’s all my bad reviews

  The war, the children missing

  Lord, it’s almost like the blues

  I let my heart get frozen

  To keep away the rot

  My father says I’m chosen

  My mother says I’m not

  I listened to their story

  Of the Gypsies and the Jews

  It was good, it wasn’t boring

  It was almost like the blues

  There is no G-d in Heaven

  And there is no Hell below

  So says the great professor