DISCONTENT

ALL THE HOOSIER TOURISTS TRYING NOT TO NOTICE
ONE OUT OF THEIR BROOD HAS GONE BAD IN THE SOUTHWEST
AND I SWEAR IT’S ONLY LOCALS THAT EVER THROW ME QUARTERS
MY SONGS FALL ON TO THE SIDEWALK ROLL TWICE AND COME TO REST
IN THE STREET IS FULL OF SPLINTERS THE STREET IS FULL OF SUNLIGHT
THE STREET IS FULL OF SAVIORS IF THEY ONLY JUST WOULD THINK
HOW MUCH A DOLLAR COULD MEAN TO A GIRL FROM INDIANA
WHO DOES NOT WANT TO GO HOME BUT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A DRINK
IN THE BAR IS POLYNESIAN BEAD CURTAINS ROUND THE TABLES
A PARROT ON THE SIGN AND THE OWNER HE IS GREEK
AND I’LL SEE THAT BLOND BARTENDER WHO JUST SPOTTED ME A BEER
AFTER WE EACH MOVE TO NEW ORLEANS AND HE BECOMES A THIEF
IN THE NIGHT IS COMING CLOSER NIGHT IT SWAGGER DOWN
NIGHT COME TO KEEP WATCH OVER US DISPLACED CLOWNS
AND I AM CAUGHT BETWEEN ELATION AND MY UNPAID RENT
AND THIS MUST BE THE FIRST SUMMER OF MY DISCONTENT

ALL THE TEA IN TEXAS COULDN’T EVEN COME CLOSE
TO SATISFY THIS THIRST IN ME
AND I AM PLAYING SAMSON TO SOME PSYCHO KID’S DELILAH
WHO HAS JUST GOT TO BRING DOWN EVERY STRONG WOMAN HE
SEA IS FULL OF FISHES SEA IS FULL OF SNAKES
I JUST HAPPENED TO GET HOOKED BY THE WRONG ONE ONE DAY
WE DRIVE OFF INTO THE DESERT WITH THE SUNSET AT OUR HEELS
WASH UP ON PADRE ISLAND LIKE A PAIR OF PICKLED
EELS AND CRABS AND CRAWFISH TWO WEEKS IN NEW ORLEANS
HE WANTS ME TO TAKE THAT JOB ON BOURBON STREET
YOU KNOW THE ONE WHERE I SAY “I AM A MUSICIAN” AND THEY SAY
“WE GOT ENOUGH OF THOSE HON, IF YOU WANT
TO MAKE SOME MONEY YOU ARE TAKING OFF YOUR”
CLOSING TIME’S A BLESSING IF YOUR BECOMING A LUSH
AND NEW ORLEANS NEVER CLOSES SO WE GET BACK ON THAT BUS
AND I AM CAUGHT BY WHAT IS BOUGHT BY ALL THE MONEY SPENT
AND THIS MUST BE THE SECOND SUMMER OF MY DISCONTENT

ALL THE TENNESSEE BOYS ARE TERRIFIED OF ME BOYS
AND RIGHTFULLY SO CAUSE I JUST PASSED A BITTER WINTER
IN THE WILDS OF NEW YORK CITY WHERE I SHED EVERY SHRED
OF DECENCY I NO EXCUSE FOR ME BOYS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS
YOU LAY DOWN WITH SNAKES YOUR GONNA GET BIT
I’VE LOST SOMETHING IMPORTANT I DON’T QUITE KNOW WHAT IT IS
MAYBE A PIECE OF MY SOUL OR THE WHOLE OF MY
SKINNY DIPPING WEATHER BUT I’M WORKING ALL DAY LONG
TRYING TO GET BACK TO WHERE I BELONG
I’VE BEEN WILD FOR YEARS I THINK WILDS OK BUT HEY
THERE’S GONNA BE SNAKES IN THE GRASS OF ANY ENDLESS SUMMER
DAYLIGHT COMING CLOSER DAYLIGHT COMING UP
DAYLIGHT GONNA FILL MY WISHING CUP
GONNA GO BACK TO NEW ORLEANS GONNA LOVE AND SING AND SWEAT
AND THIS WILL BE THE LAST SUMMER OF MY DISCONTENT

fall 97 new orleans
© MYSHKIN 1998