Under the Green (2022)

Mother doesn’t want to move on

I wouldn’t want to move on either 

If I saw her dying in my arms 

But I said ‘I don’t think you’ve got much choice’

The hands of grief will take your voice 

And leave you pining in the wind 

But I’ll help you through this winter 

And all the winters to come 

I’ll help you through the winters 

‘Til our life together is done 

The town’s got a dear place in her heart 

But you can’t expect good things to start 

Without leaving some shit behind 

Their souls will always be there 

Sleeping under the green and in the air 

I know for sure they won’t mind 

Oh they’d want you to live by the sea 

Oh they’d want you to be free 

Time to go

Stick on the garden gloves 

And help me carry this bag of leaves 

And don’t despair 

If they get churned back up by the wind

Get a rake to comb the lawn

And do it all again

Time to go 

Over to the birdbath 

I’ll scoop up all the rain 

And looking in too long

I’ll remember doing the same 

Wondering who stared back 

Before I knew my name 

Mother doesn’t want to move on 

I wouldn’t want to move on either 

If I saw her dying in my arms 

Cul-de-sac (2021)

Dreamt we were in a cul-de-sac

Me in a wheelchair

You walking tall in front of me

The sun on your back

There was a little girl laughing

She was free

Her hair was blowing in the breeze

The same colour as me

You and her were playing

Barefoot on the lawn

You and her were playing

I laughed along

As I struggled up the tarmac

We were in a cul-de-sac

I couldn’t turn myself around

I couldn’t turn myself back

A tall shadow approached us

Grey fur mingling with the yew-tree

And crouching down behind the rosebush

Without me

You held her in your arms

And told me to hide

The rosebush was thinning

And my wheels stuck out from the side

There wasn’t enough room

There wasn’t enough room

We were in a cul-de-sac

I couldn’t turn myself back

There wasn’t enough room

A man in a wolf costume

Wearing your shoes

Burdens (2022)

I heard you’ve been walking 

Along the canal at night 

Pack of beers and a flashlight

You’re the only one left 

In the pool, I swear 

Even the fools have left

Even the fools 

You came back to me in a dream 

Banged your head or something 

Damage to your brain

With eyes full of tears

And heart full of shame 

In a cartoon voice you said

‘I don’t remember my name’ 

You’re breaking my heart 

Every time you walk 

Through the night 

Burden backpack on your back 

You know what burdens I’m talking about 

You’ve got to let them go

Before they let you go 

I heard you want out

I heard you want out of life

Don’t do it, you’ll regret it

I swear

You’ll regret it from way up there 

And it’s up there you’d be, if anywhere 

‘Cause you’re not a bad boy 

No, you’re not a bad boy 

You’re breaking my heart 

Every time you try

To take a leap of faith 

Garden gate swung wide 

By the ushering wind

But your bedroom door ain’t opening

You’ve got to open up 

Before they open you up

Before they let you drift away, 

Hey…

Quicksand (2021)

Time is passing you

Kitted up in climbing boots

It’s not like it ever stops for me

Or my bolshy, unspoken truths

Or my repairing skin

Or the compulsions that I’m in;

The way I think

Like it’s any better than you

And the liquid quicksand that you drink

That you drink

‘You’re gonna sink’

I cry while I sink

Who do I think I am?

Cracking your case while kicking the can

My feelings can wait

Thought you were supposed to be

The emotionally celibate

There’s a lot that’s unclean

I can see it through your skin

And the gristle is hearty

But ignoring my own ossein

Sounds like my kind of party

My kind of party

My kind of party

And how can I know you’ll be ok?

When I’m the only one you talk to

And you don’t talk to me

Think I was meant to catch you, babe

But it’s not my role

To set you free

No, not me

Like a house on fire, we got along

But we burned through all the birdsong

Everybody cried ‘Look, there’s the smoke!’

But we were too intoxicated to get the joke

But it’s too hot for me now

I’ve got to go and lie down

You know I’d ask you to come

But we both know how it always ends up

And I think that’s enough

Owl (2022)

You still come into my head

But I don’t allow you 

To overstay your welcome

When you slept in my bed 

My cries were low enough 

To make do as your lullaby 

You still come into my mind

But I don’t allow you 

To leave your residue behind 

There’s an owl at my window 

There’s an owl trying to get in

His wing looks a little broken 

But I don’t have the tools to fix him

Not spoken in so long

But a cartoon bird told me 

Your German’s coming on strong

With you I thought I was all wrong 

That I failed to hold a power 

I really should possess 

Not spoken for my health

And a painted clock tells me 

That my life won’t live itself

There’s an owl at my window

He’s been out there in the cold wind 

His wing looks rather broken

But I don’t have the time

To be letting him in

There’s an owl at my window 

There’s an owl trying to break in 

His wing looks like it’s bleeding 

But I don’t have the tools