JEAN THE BIRDMAN
(SINGLE)
1
EARTHBOUND
Like a black crow standing
On a sea of shells
She's blessed by magic
And the sound of liberty's bells
I'll raise the curfew
And sit by her door
But she's been through this war before
Out in the snow fields
Coyote tracks
She calls out its name
With the words I lack
And it turns its head
And howls to the moon
She's gonna be leaving (believe in) me soon
She's giving me questions
And quizzical looks
She tears up my papers
And burns all my books
They gave her nothing
She didn't already know
She's getting ready to go
Down in the basement
Among her things
I opened her boxes
And found all her rings
I offered her money
She said "They're not for sale"
She guards her secrets well
Somebody saw her
Down on the beach
I followed her footsteps
But they ended at the sea
Still, when she found out
She goes and raises hell
She guards her secrets well
Each face is her mirror
Reflecting her own
She squanders affection
And rarely goes home alone
But I wouldn't ask for anything
If only she'd tell me it's through
She guards her secrets too
Like a black crow standing
On a sea of shells
She's blessed by magic
And the sound of liberty's bells
I'll raise the curfew
And sit by her door
She's been through this war before
2
ENDGAME
I just sank into sleep
The conversation wasn't worth repeating
Faith would start the morning off
By judging love, she had finally found me wanting
She said that I was born with one foot in the door
Displays of affection, but you don't know what it's for
And Jesus said, "Don't worry son
That's just the sound of God laughing"
Her room was quite a mess
The court said I had no defense against her
Her bags were packed, the doors are closing
The three day truce of hostilities was over
I thought I'd notice when my tail was in the fire
She'd dress the wounds with vitriol
To keep the burns alive
And Jesus said, "If you listen good
You'll hear the sound of God laughing"
Last chances is in the car
The fine white lines are leading to the station
I'll start the journey off
Defining love with a thousand explanations
Rows of telegraph poles where the railway meets the sea
Counting crucifixions on this road to Calvary
And the DJ said, "You've been listening to
The wonderful sound of God laughing"
And Jesus said, "Well, it's over
once
You've heard the sound of God laughing"
3
TALLOW MOON
The Crux
The stone
The heart
The hearth
The home
Blinded
In search of stars
Thereness
Nearly
Vastly invisible
Unsensed, unseen
Troubled and troubling
Nothing
A coat
A hood
The hooded I
Under a tallow moon.