I want to live in a tree

I WANT TO LIVE IN A TREE (E A D G B E)

 

I want to live in a tree in a bush near the ocean. Where the sun wakes up every single day. And the glow of the moon dances on the water. And you feel it in every single leaf.

 

And when the wind turns I’ll be the first to know. In the afternoon, how it bounces off the sand. And the sunlight fades but I know it’s not gone. And the sky goes black but it’s not for long.

 

And the stars come out and sing lullabies. I close my eyes and I’m all wrapped up. Watching the world from inside my trunk.

 

And I’ll wake in the morning to a flurry of wonder. Cicadas will yell and kookaburras will laugh. And as I land with a thud on the dirt I’ll laugh too but I won’t know why. I want to live in a tree.

The moon was so full last night I can still hear it ringing

THE MOON WAS SO FULL LAST NIGHT I CAN STILL HEAR IT RINGING (E A D G B E)

 

Draw a line through morning. Watch it run away. Follow it to afternoon.

The moon was so full last night. I can still hear it ringing.

I am watching you

I AM WATCHING YOU (E A D G B E)

 

I am watching you. In the garden I can see you through the green and blue.

You could see me too if you only knew to look up and listen.

 

I am leaving soon. Is there something I can give you?

A sunrise? A full moon? A Long Nite? A sad tune?

 

Holding branches with one leg. Walking round the block, I’m right there.

You’re broken, you’re mending. This tragedy has a happy ending.

The sky is green

THE SKY IS GREEN (E A D G B E)

 

Follow the feeling you get. Waking up early today. Walking alone through the trees. You don’t owe no one nothing.

Before the sky opens wide. Beside the river so clear. Appearing when you least thought. It’s never too late to ask. It’s never too late to ask.

 

Your clouds will part. Until then try not to worry about when. It will go on until it stops. It will be dark until it’s not. It will be dark until it’s not.

 

Far from this place. Where have you been? Hanging around. The sky is green. The sky is green. The sky is green.

Life is a scary dream

LIFE IS A SCARY DREAM (E A D G B E)

 

Life is a scary dream. I can’t get back to sleep. I’m running but I don’t get anywhere.

Life is a scary dream. It keeps coming back for me. I’m cold but I just sweat the bed.

Life is a scary dream. Even though I know it’s not real it feels like the world’s about to end.

Almost sure

ALMOST SURE (E A C F B E)

 

I am almost sure, I said to myself. I feel as one feels on a switchback railway car sinking.

Mary seems to be playing a trick on us. She has every right.

For the sake of breaking.

 

I cannot be sure. She must convince me. Turn the page and read. She must jump.

Do not start. Do not blush.

 

I am almost sure. I am almost sure.

There's too much sand on this beach

THERE’S TOO MUCH SAND ON THIS BEACH (E A D G B E)

 

WHAT TO DO, WHAT TO DO, WHAT TO DO?

There’s too much sand on this beach.

Laugh all you want, laugh all you want.

 

The boys are here every morning. And I am too, just to see them.

A bit of wind would be nice to clean the mess made by the night.

And come morning you know where they will be.

 

It’s so hot in here and it’s so much harder on your own.

Each moment falls like a stone.

Withered and all. Will you go on?

 

If I can just get through today.

If I can just get through today.

 

In my ears. Between my teeth.

There’s too much sand on this beach.

Too much time out of reach.

There’s too much sand on this beach.

Go about my changes

GO ABOUT MY CHANGES (D A C G B E)

 

Go about my changes. As the river runs beside me. I don’t know where I’m going but I don’t need guiding. I was swooped by a magpie this morning. It wasn’t a big deal but the next time I ride down that street it will be. I guess I never really wanted to. I guess I still don’t. Today there are clouds. Light winds. Lorikeets and cockatoos over the fence. I guess I don’t want to. I guess I don’t really have to. Lorikeets and cockatoos. Go about my changes as they fly beside me.

Spread my wings

SPREAD MY WINGS (E A D G B D#)

 

Let’s not do that today. It won’t hurt us. It might do good.

Wrapped up underneath a clear night. On our backs, such bright eyes glimmering through the sky.

 

If it’s hard. If it makes me sad. If I give it all I had then what’s left?

Watching as the sky spins round. Lying on the grass, somehow. Spread my wings, I’m ready now.

 

Spread my wings, I’m ready now to lift myself up off the ground. A steady hand won’t bring me down. Watching the earth spin around. Spread my wings, I’m ready now.

 

I can’t see a way out anymore. But I know it was there before. And I know what real darkness looks like.

Late for work

LATE FOR WORK (E A D G B E)

 

My heart is ticking a clock. My chest is rising like the sea. My nails are biting like sharks. Hairs on my arms standing like trees.

I know you read me like a book. You don’t even need to look. I’m getting dizzy I’m so shook. Out the window watch me dance.

Could this be a chance to teach ourselves? If nobody else cares we might as well.

 

My mind is buzzing like a fridge. My ears are screaming like a siren. Colours draining from my face. My mouth is open but I’m silent.

And I am running towards the sun fifty percent of the time. I know, I know one day we will all fall from the sky.

I could cry I’m so happy for you. You’ve done all the things I could never do.

 

This is where the third verse should go. I haven’t written it yet though. Because I must be on my way to work and I’m already going to be late.

Sitting still

SITTING STILL (E A D G B E, capo 4)

 

Sitting still my shadow fades. The footsteps stop and walk away. The wind returns to a resting place.

Sitting still I feel my chest. I hear my heart beat less and less. I give what I have and I take a breath.

Sitting still the sky falls down. It shatters like plates on the ground. And from the rubble I crawl out.

Sitting still in the garden green. I came here last night in my dream. We sat together and he spoke to me.

Sitting still; it’s still not easy. I thought it was true but they didn’t believe me. I thought it was true.

Sitting still if it takes all day. If the night arrives I will be ok. I’m sitting still.

 

It had to tumble down. Something strange is growing and it just fell on me.

Even the wisest

EVEN THE WISEST (E A C G B E, capo 2)

 

Don’t fuss with what you might. Give up and catch the night. It must be always light. Slowly going blind.

Boil the eggs with certainty. Toast the bread with precision. Stir the tea with steady eyes. Even the wisest cannot tell.

 

Don’t fuss with what you might. Give up and catch the night. It must be always light. Slowly going blind.

Boil the eggs low and slow. Plant a seed and let it grow. Ask yourself and never know. Even the wisest fall apart.

I'm only not listening because you're talking at me

I’M NOT LISTENING BECAUSE YOU’RE TALKING AT ME (E A D G B E)

 

I’m only not listening when you’re talking at me. I’m only pretending to hear.

I’m nodding my head. You’re so unaware that I haven’t been listening because you’re talking at me.

 

You’re only interested in hearing your own thoughts. It must be lonely living in that world.

Where you’re the smartest and the best. No time to consider the rest. Because you’re only interested in hearing your own thoughts.

 

And if you think this song is about you, well, I never said that it was.

But if it is and you do then there must be some truth. But you’re probably not listening because I’m just talking at you.

6124

6124 (E A C G B E, capo 2)

 

six one two four six one two four six one two four six one two

A short story

A SHORT STORY (E A C G B E, capo 2)

 

This is a short story because there isn’t much time. This is a reminder some jellyfish never die. This isn’t the end but it’s not the beginning. This isn’t true but it’s not false either.

 

The morning was soft. Felt like it would crumble under our footsteps. And when we ran outside it did. The screen door slammed and the garden shook. The driveway unravels and it just goes on and on.

 

This is a short story because there’s not much time. It’s a long walk home but it’s a warm night. This isn’t the end, the start, the first or last or the middle. This is a short story.

It feels like something isn't finished

IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING ISN’T FINISHED (D G D G B E)

 

It feels like something isn’t finished.

I’m stuck between the end and beginning.

What is waiting for me?

When will I know?

The guards at the palace gate

THE GUARDS AT THE PALACE GATE (D G D G B E)

 

Slipped away. Could you hear? What did they say? Was it sincere?

It’s not good. It’s not safe. This fear is man-made.

My heart knows nothing. But it feels like something.

All these guards at the palace gate just make my neck ache.

 

This is just an introduction to a book that won’t be written.

If you can’t read my writing I will leave burnt CD with the guards at the palace gate.

Under this roof the sky is obscured

UNDER THIS ROOF THE SKY IS OBSCURED (D G D G B E)

 

Walking in hiddenness. The beetle over grass takes as long as the length of the backyard.

This is my inner law. I’m not fighting it anymore.

 

Running along the sand to tire myself out. Wind not in my face. Not at my back either.

 

And when I get home I text my friends because I want them to know I love them.

 

Under this roof the sky is hidden. The stars obscured. The Clear Moon only something I’ve heard about in a song.

 

I know you’re not sure. But this is my inner law. Not Yours.

Let me be a pussy

LET ME BE A PUSSY (D G D G B E, capo 1)

 

Let me be sincere. Let me be honest. Letting life go on. Doing what I promised.

Skinned alive by morning. Naked in the evening. Something something leaving.

 

Let me understand. Let me not know better. Letting worms be worms. In the dirt together.

Writhing on the footpath. God just cut us in half. Blah blah blah blah blah blah.

 

Let stay in the way. Let me not do what they told me. Let crash my car. Let me be a pussy.

Let me go slowly. Let me be a pussy. Let me go gently. Let me be a pussy.

Shun’oku Soen died on the ninth day of the second month at the age of eighty-three

SHUN’OKU SOEN DIED ON THE NINTH DAY OF THE SECOND MONTH AT THE AGE OF EIGHTY-THREE (E A D G B E)

 

Lyrics taken from Japanese Death Poems p.115

 

It is written that on the day of his death he sensed that his end was near. He requested his attendant to hold his brush and dictated his death poem to him. Then he himself took the brush, wrote the date, signed his name and wrote “Farewell.”

 

Adrift between the earth and sky

I call to the east and change it west.

I flourish my staff and return once again

To my source.

Growing up today

GROWING UP TODAY (E A D G B E)

 

Growing up today. The sunlight on my face is singing songs of pain and melting me away.

Upon my heart, a stain. A passengerless train. A puddle in my brain weeks after rain. I’m here but I can’t stay.

 

I’m growing up today. I know I’m on my way. I’m here but I can’t stay. I’m going but I can’t wait. I’m growing up today.