One day I was out walking no wine had been spilled but I was hopping and hoping to get a view of a new true and lay some worries down She said: “'Scuse me” she seemed to confuse me with someone who knew he had a destination and to there was bound She dropped her veil, we had no pail, but we Jack-and-Jilled up the hill we sailed to the top of the ancient citadel And then oh, how this ol' Jack did fall, I fell – my mind going pell-mell and then well, well taking in the striations of this place little 'bove heaven, little below hell Then 'twas off to tea a nut, milk, froth delight to me it mellowed my hastening, alright she did excite with her insights she denied the complexity next to me, oh, the elation dressed and possessed me 'til she gently wrested my zest from me as she professed to me: “This stitch in time seems divine but belongs to neither you nor me “So raise your glass, give a laugh as I slide into memory” I said: “A slice of your time's worth nine, I won't pine as the clock undermines eternity “This time, be it small, crumbs 'n' all – I'll take it – whatever it may be” Wayward and forlorn, the rain was pouring, sopped and worn, I stop-drop-flopped at her door and hoped for more She took me in, rain on the tin roof called a truce between truth and fancy oh, the hush did entrance me as light from the lamp enhanced we let words dance A poem here, a song there brought us where a soul is pared down and lifts to higher ground and lo what was lost is found But oh, no furlough can last and get a man past the undertow of the hi-dee-ho which he's obliged to sow and so She said: “The winds of time are unkind and they're pushing apart you and me “So speak no vow, just give a bow and prepare to slip into memory” I said: “This drop of time tastes like wine from the vineyard of eternity “It may not be much but let's drink it up, whatever, whatever, whatever it may be” Treehouse in the woods stood between worlds that could be traveled and unraveled – oh, how we scrabbled for buried treasure together, such pleasure to untether the measure And fill it in with however many beats our drum could bum from the Elysian hum this change in the weather had us forever wailing “who needs the kingdom come?” Releasing butterflies from killing jars, helping constellations unfix their stars as fingers found transcendent sounds from cheap guitars as our youth did spar With Nevermore we declared the mundane profane and defied the cries of :“All Hail Thane of Cawdor” or Mordor but Trouble oh, Trouble's waters sought my friend and as they caught her and reclaimed her as their daughter she sighed: “The stream of time is prying me loose and carrying me out to sea “So give a wave and brave these moments as they morph into memory” I said: “This bit of time may be flying back to join eternity “But this flight be it slight, well, alright I'll take it whatever, whatever it may be” “This slice of time's worth nine, I won't pine as the clock undermines eternity “This time be it small, crumbs 'n' all – I'll take it – whatever, whatever it may be” “Yes, whatever it may be, it's alright by me – whatever it may be, it's alright “Whatever, whatever, whatever, whatever...”

( *words with >>> after them also simultaneously sound out the first word of the next line) Moving in circles on a straight line>>>* Lining up our tomorrows as we reach the end of time time Timing the pulses 'tween beats of a riven heart>>> Heartening up ourselves for the long haul as rhapsody disembarks (You could say) hey, hey, hey Would you stay with me now if you want me to go (You could say) hey, hey, hey Would you go if you want me to stay Staying behind now as our ideals head on their way>>> Weighing down one another as we lift from the fray>>> Fraying threads all spread across the bed where doubts all bend and lay>>> Laying aside all past misguided love rites will you still say: Hey, hey, hey Would you stay with me now when you want me to go (Will you say) hey, hey, hey Would you go when you want me to stay (Will I say) hey, hey, hey Would you stay with me now when I want you to go (Will I say) hey, hey, hey Would you go when I want you to stay (When we could say) wait, wait We don't really know what we want but we're willing to Wait, wait 'Til we find, 'til we see the Way, way Into the midst of the place where we're knowing the Way, way Where we will not have to wait Waiting for the end here at the beginning>>> Beginning to understand it all as I know nothing Sitting in a dry cistern hiding from the searchlight sun Like the tarot card of the haloed man upside down hung Suspended in time, slaying divine notions of “the One” (You could say) hey, hey, hey Would you go from me now when you want me to go (You could say) hey, hey, hey Would you stay with me now when you want me to stay (I could say) hey, hey, hey Would you go from me now when I want you to go (I could say) hey, hey, hey Would you stay with me now 'cause I want you to stay (We could) wait, wait We're starting to know what we want and we're willing to Wait, wait As we find, as we see the Way, way Into the midst of the place where we're knowing the Way, way Where we no longer have to wait...wait...wait...

Wind's first whims were in my face Kept me walking in place and feeling Timid 'bout the limits of my stride Was seek and hide, seek and hide One day I spun and then ho and hum The breeze – a little tease – was now 'pon my back But alack lack of reason stopped pleasin' and now I'm drifting, spirits lift and fall 'pon the squall, I can't hear you, don't call 'Cause soon time will take it all Qualms have steered and how I've let them shove me But the calm it veers me now t'ward the Covey Now as I hoist the sail, ride the gale and pale in comparison to who I planned to be The fee, I agree, for this bitter-sweet cup of tea is more than it's worth But birth it comes with a thirst and the verse does not always rhyme Qualms have steered and how I've let them shove me But the calm may veer me now Into the Crepuscule Covey nothin' below, nothin' above me And in this theater the seats are empty The players have left the stage We know we've been cheaters Refusin' to act our age (but how to assuage the turning of the page?) So wrap a blanket cross my shoulders The fire smolders – wind can't blow it back to flame No shame, no blame it's just the way of things here So stand clear as you cheer me on in years These arrears must be paid before I pull the shades And the atrium it now stands empty The musicians have put their instruments away Oh, how we played to 'em Oh, how we held them in sway Need to know when to give way – take your bow gracefully and fade Whether or not you still feel like you got that shine 'Cause time and its sand, no hand can command It reasons to stand there is no great plan for you hey, I'm talkin' 'bout me too And maybe I'll see you in the Crepuscule Covey With no goal, no dreams, no cares Maybe I'll meet you in the Covey No hopes, no wishes, no prayers No self, no group, no flag, no troupe, no blind or astute No piper left to pay