The OMEN

SUMMER SWEAT ON A BLOOD RED ROSE REMINDS ME OF THE TRAGIC BEAUTY THAT ONCE WAS...
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

RIDE ALONG

WHEN YOU MET HER SHE WAS ON THE EDGE
AND YOU NEVER ASKED HER NAME
SHE REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO KNOW YOU
SHE THOUGHT YOU WERE MORE OF JUST THE SAME

YOU WERE HEADED HOME TO BROOKLYN
AND SHE WASN'T GOING DOWN
BUT SHE DIDN'T WANT TO BE ALONE
SO SHE TOOK THE RIDE ALONG

IT MUST HAVE BEEN WHEN YOU WERE ALMOST PASSING SMITH AND NINTH
THAT HER HEAD HAD TILTED TOWARD YOU AND SHE MADE HER MOTIVES CLEAR

SHE WOULD KEEP YOU COMPANY 
AND HER PRICE WAS JUST A SONG
THE MELODY WAS UP TO YOU
BUT SHE WOULD HAVE TO SING ALONG

SHE WASN'T MUCH FOR TRA LA LA
SHE LIKED MEAT ON HER BONES
BUT IF IT HAD THAT SHA LA LA
BETWEEN YOUR STICKS AND STONES
SHE WOULD BELT OUT EVERY SINGLE WORD YOU HAD TO SAY
AND SHE WOULD SHANG-A-LANG WITH YOU
'CAUSE SHE ALWAYS MOVED THAT WAY

YOU SHOWED HER ALL YOU HAD AND SHE TURNED YOUR INSIDE OUT
SHE TOOK YOUR INHIBITIONS AND EXPOSED THEM TO THE LIGHT
SHE GOT THE BETTER OF YOU 
AND IT LASTED ALL THE NIGHT
SHE'D GOTTEN ON THAT TRAIN WITH YOU
AND RODE IT TO THE LIGHT

SHE WASN'T MUCH FOR TRA LA LA
SHE LIKED MEAT ON HER BONES
BUT IF IT HAD THAT SHA LA LA
BETWEEN YOUR STICKS AND STONES
SHE WOULD BELT OUT EVERY WORD YOU HAD TO SAY
AND SHE WOULD SHANG-A-LANG WITH YOU
'CAUSE SHE ALWAYS MOVED THAT WAY

SHE SHOWED YOU ALL SHE HAD AND SHE TURNED YOUR INSIDE OUT 
SHE TOOK HER INHIBITIONS AND EXPOSED THEM TO THE LIGHT
SHE GOT THE BETTER OF YOU AND IT LASTED ALL THE NIGHT
SHE'D GOTTEN ON THAT TRAIN WITH YOU AND TOOK IT TO THE LIGHT

SHE WASN'T MUCH FOR TRA LA LA
SHE LIKED MEAT ON HER BONES
BUT IF IT HAD THAT SHA LA LA
BETWEEN YOUR STICKS AND STONES
SHE WOULD BELT OUT EVERY WORD YOU HAD TO SAY
AND SHE WOULD SHANG-A-LANG WITH YOU
'CAUSE SHE ALWAYS MOVED THAT WAY

VERONICA

THOUGH NEW AND ABSENTEE OWNERS HAVE TAKEN DOWN THIS ARBOR AND HAVE SAVAGED ALL THE GARDENS THAT SURROUNDED US IN PRAYER
CUTTING DOWN THE SHRUBS AND STOMPING ALL THE FLOWERS THERE
THEY CANNOT ERASE THE BEAUTY OR THE MEMORIES OF WHAT ONCE WAS 

AND AS I RAKE THE LEAVES OF AUTUMN UP HERE IN THE NORTH
I THINK OF HAPPY TIMES THERE IN THE GARDEN STATE
OF FRIENDS THAT WE HAVE KNOWN AND FLOWERS I HAD GROWN
AND OF ALL THAT I RECALL THERE WAS NONE MORE DELICATE THAN OUR FAIR AND FRAGILE FAITHFUL FLOWER NAMED VERONICA

YOU READ ME

DOWN BY THE EL AT THE WASH AND DRY
WE MET AND TALKED AND WONDERED WHY NEITHER ONE OF US COULD EVER QUITE FIT IN

WE TALKED OF SCHOOL AND HOME AND FAMILY
OF LIFE AND DEATH AND SUICIDE
HOW NO ONE EVER UNDERSTOOD
HOW NO ONE THOUGHT US SERIOUS AND HOW NO ONE REALLY GAVE A SHIT

I KNOW YOU LIKED ME AND I KNOW YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LIKED YOU BACK
WE WEREN'T ALWAYS QUITE IN SYNC BUT WE WOULD MEET THERE NOW AND THEN AND WHEN YOU WEREN'T ALWAYS THERE ~ I WAS NOWHERE 
AND FELT LIKE HALF A WHOLE

DOWN BY THE EL AT THE WASH AND DRY
WE MET AND TALKED AND WONDERED WHY
NEITHER ONE OF US COULD EVER QUITE FIT IN

I KNOW YOU LIKED ME AND I KNOW YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LIKED YOU BACK

YOU READ ME RIGHT AND I WAS WRONG TO THINK YOU WOULD EMPLOY ME IN YOUR QUEST FOR HAPPINESS
I JUST NEVER EXPECTED YOU TO LAUGH AND CALL ME BOY

THE FALL (Updated)

THINKING I WOULD RISE ~ I FELL BACKWARD PAST YOUR TIME
INTO A HARSH AND HOSTILE CINEMATIC LANDSCAPE ON SOME BACK LOT OF MY MIND
THE SCRIPT WAS STILL UNWRITTEN BUT THE PLAYERS ALL WERE THERE
AND THOUGH I TRIED I COULDN'T MOVE I COULD ONLY LOOK AND LISTEN

INCREDIBLE GLISTENING SCENERY SHIMMERED IN THE SUN
AND AS MY MIND TRAVELED THROUGH FORESTS OF LUSH MEMORIES ~ I SUDDENLY FELT UNEASY

HOW WAS IT I GOT HERE? HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN AWAY? HOW WILL I EVER GET BACK, AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I STAY?

LIKE ALICE I WAS FALLING AND THOUGH I TRIED TO GRIP ONTO JUST ONE UNCLUTTERED THOUGHT 
NOTHING THAT BRUSHED MY BRAIN MEANT VERY MUCH AT ALL 
BUT WHAT WAS WAY MORE MADDENING WAS THE FEELING I WAS SMALL
AND THAT EVERY SECOND OF MY LIFE ~ I HAVE AND ALWAYS WILL BE WATCHED