By Misti Velvet Rainwater
Date: 25 August 2000
The Eyes of Texas
Mike Winchell and Boobie Miles knew the story
when the Mojo is risin' it's a mighty mighty hero factory
when the eyes of Texas are upon you
with the veterans holdin' up the foam fingers in the stands
and the sweet as pecan pie chica locas in short skirts
claspin' their ivory hands in prayer on the sidelines
all is right with West Texas
and you own it
for one bright shinin' season
we have our superstitions
all of us
it's true
the lengths we go to to hold onto the dark horse dream
cream rises to the top and dissipates or is licked away
our song plays and the crowds salute us with tears
in their eyes
the tears vaporize at sunrise and we are left
with a sweaty reminder of black magic
and another tragic end steals another prelude
to what could have been
an award winnin' encore
anybody else would be bored
but it's my song that's playin'
and I know it by heart
and right now I'm guarding my love
while he sleeps
respect him for at least one night
his slumber is sacred
don't splash in the pool
don't blast Too Short from your stereo
don't blow your hair dry
play Chinese checkers
or smoke some weed and check out your childhood
on the bathroom wallpaper
I keep our pornographic polaroids in between PSALM 102
and PSALM 104
no one would ever look for em there
As for man
yes
his days are grass
yes
as a flower of the field
so he flourisheth
praise be to God in the highest
alleluia
alleluia
we all grow green to die black
and we can't wish it back
when the gold is gone
bye bye bye
we'll always have our pictures
when asked why he left Arizona
Cochise replied
The Country Was Bad and Everything There Pinched Me
yes, we know what it is to be pinched
and pulled away from the core
taken from the faerie ring in the mossy woods
on a Harvest moon night
to make another appointment
and write another check
and wash another load
before the tiger plummeted to his death
he ate a strawberry
and it was the sweetest berry
he ever
tasted.
Back to the Heart-on-Sleeve Corner