Country Time  (4:09)

My buddy said to settle the score
And left me at the bar at a quarter to four
I counted my money, ordered one last beer
Then I glanced down the bar as you simply sat there

Not a care in the world, no trouble in sight
On this long and this cold old December night
Last call was announced as I gave you a look
And wondered if you were as calm as you looked

My past is still present, my life is a mess
And here you are now at this time and this place
Is the grand design of the universe being revealed?
Or is it a quarter to four and I simply mis-deal’d

This structure is open, the territory wide
As I huddle in this quarter circle inside
A blur of silver, neon and noise
Spinning this coin between my restless fingers of joy

The passage of time is an odd occurrence
Silently expanding within its jagged little edges
Funny thing, detours of the mind
A few minutes ago everything was just fine
I hope this moment is just on loan
When your thoughts have thoughts of their own

For a moment I wondered if you may have slipped out of my sight
And guess who came walking back up to my right
And as the bartender slammed my beer in place
I chose comfort over fear of embrace
And wrestled with your existence that holds me tightly in place

My buddy returned, said it was time to go
Saw my eyes, glanced your way, and promptly replied ‘so’
He said ‘hey man, this is not the time or the place’
Yet I was informed otherwise by that trace of a smile on your face

My future divided before my eyes
Stretched out and relaxed to my great surprise
What are either of us doing in a place such as this?
I guess we had to meet somewhere before that first kiss

The Beach Tune   (Samsara)

Looked over my shoulder one final time
Wind pushed at my back, hair in my eyes
Hush of the ocean rushed through my ears
Poured over my soul, erased future years
In time you are there
And I’m over here

Waves pounded, retreated
Backward in memory
Forward in pace
Spun me around and on my way
To the center of which
I cannot recall
The sound of the gull
Displaced the eternity of it all

Nothing really mattered
Except my backward glance that day
If I look again
Will you look back my way?
This path is familiar
Did I just hear you sigh?
This windy existence bears no place for a lie
Accompanied by
A chilly sense of dread
I pushed out of my path
It flowed back so fast

Forward I kept, with a thought for the past
Would you run, would you shout
Would you catch up to me at last
Do I have to dream, do I have to wish
If I cross my fingers will we engage in our kiss

Hush of the ocean perished in my ears
quick sand swallowed my tears
You will not appear
You are not even there
Except when I wish it
And I turn and I stare