
COLE GUERRA
Charmer
goodbye
we’ve come undone
we know you don’t let truth map its way into your run
and when scared men define you
they cure you of your hiccups
but blind you
how was the flight?
was the wind behind you?
let’s talk about those bootstraps
and how you didn’t need the money you never gave back
come on down below
don’t know the way
so we’ll just take it slow
you could say hi, but don’t
he charms, but this snake isn’t complicated
you could say hi, but don’t
and once in the bed you forget how he got there
you could say hi, but don’t
remember you loaned your mousetraps to the neighbors
you could say hi, but don’t
so here we are, the curtain’s up
don’t bite your nails, don’t try to go
there will be an effigy
made of straw
ignore its pleas
who said things could go too far?
he wasn’t speaking for the show’s stars
we’re younger
but you’re hungry
and your point man is sort of funny
he’s a jester, but he courts the crown
and your prospects look better
with him swimming around
but if you let scared men define you
they’ll cure you of your hiccups
but blind you
Flood
they love the way you make them feel about their homes
lose hope, lose face
you do what you can to win a race
here comes the flood
to wash the banks of blood
come out to the capitol steps
slow down, you’ll need your breath
and say something’s wrong
but you only know what they look like
so what’s the harm in selling time
to those whose time has come?
shame the victims
move some paper
seize the assets
of the traitors
here comes the flood
to hide the holes you’ve dug
come out, there’s no barbed wire fence
slow down, your knees are spent
can’t point to anything
just feel they don’t belong
but you only know what they look like
you just know what they look like
you’ve been screaming for so long
why pretend we’ve heard you wrong?
save your song and dance
here comes the flood
to wash the banks of blood
come out to the capitol steps
slow down, your knees they’re spent
and say something’s wrong
but you only know what they look like
you only know what they look like
Window
lock the car
put the pits in the windows
hold the jewels in the boxer briefs
there’s nothing they won’t do
he’ll be gone
find a crack in the window
crawl outside
the breeze, the lies, what’s new?
are we strong?
then stop looking through the windows
maybe you’re betting there’s a limit
there’s a lesson – wait a minute, it’ll be hard won
maybe we stop looking to hide
from dreamers that frighten
in spaces that tighten at night
follow the rules
get a perch on the window
grow the jewels in your boxer briefs
everything will feel true
now he’s gone
found a crack in the window
climbed outside
said I’m good as new, I look strong
that’s my reflection in the window
maybe you’re betting
there’s a limit
there’s a lesson – wait a minute, it’ll be hard won
maybe we stop looking to hide
from dreamers that frighten
in spaces that tighten at night
Wolf
you heard Bob
come on down
off the sofa
take your best guess
then kindly egress
give them a moment to hide
did you get close enough?
if you get close enough
are you going to take another one?
how are you going to make another one love you?
if you put a wolf at the door
that’ll keep his meddling to a minimum
and put a smile on your lips
hide what’s growing in the crib
it’s dirty as it flows
out of his artificial nose
scan for threats
encased in lead
exactly right
encrypt and fit them
smile on the lips
hide what’s in the crib
don’t throw it a line or spend too much time with it
how are you going to take another one?
how are you going to make another one love you?
did you get close enough?
if you have a white lie
come on down and flaunt it
come on down
Clay
better think about what you’re going to say now
wind them up til trouble comes
tell them that you’ve always won
get a thrill
and if they figure out you’ve put them on
well you’re made of clay
so we know you’ll find a shape to use
to come back anytime you want
to fill your heart
they said the job would sober you up
but you’ve gotten older without growing up
why stretch to reach when they’re right behind you?
they said the job would sober you up
but it’s not enough
and your memory is ripe
to mold into a little town to spend the night
you’re made of clay
so we know you’ll find a shape to use
to come back anytime you want
to fill your heart
there’s a featured part
they said the job would sober you up
you’ve gotten older without growing up
we stretch to leave, but we’re deep inside, too
and there’s no master plan
so you work on your sleight of hand
you’ll reach until they fight
there’s no aftershave that wipes away the stench that’s on you
so little down
so little fight
watch them spin in the room
like they know what you’re doing
they get a thrill
though they’ve figured out you’ve put them on
to make a name, they know they can find some ways to use
so come back anytime you want to fill your heart
there’s a featured part
in a show that ends with a shrug
nothing more
lo and behold
it’s about money
money is what you know

Anchored
the road only bends
her way
when dreaming is ripe
then leaving’s in sight
but anchored to the day
disarm the plow
drag the lake
hide what’s found
it’s safe if you know what to shove below
he thought he’d
been given enough
to wash it down
mud and dust
hints of rust
an old watering can
that’s all he’ll find there
you want it fair?
steal the plow
siphon the lake
can’t swim anyhow
so they figure they’re better off
taking the dare and lying
faking it for the smiling goons
flattered when they think you swoon
who undulate through hip cafes
and find the shards of your younger days
keep your head up
in case someone thought to poison the low-hanging fruit
from deep in the lair
you curse the town
siphon the hate
can’t love anyhow
safe if you know what to shove below
Helpless
stay low, out of sight
there are things you don’t want to breathe tonight
if you needed to see it through
could you talk them down safely?
now gone
marching in straight time
now fixing the reigns
to be clenching tight
sure we’ll need them to choke off
the red pull
the restless right
do you feel helpless?
are you trying to find another way to feel?
do you feel helpless?
that’s how he wanted to make you feel
arms out, head alight
frame this with the glow from the miners' lights
as if what they need is somebody to walk them through the steady lies
won’t ever find that path
looking’s no fun
and the cynic has passed out
on the bed he made before some sick old men killed the core
are they calling the cops yet?
do you feel helpless?
are you trying to find another way to feel?
do you feel helpless?
that’s how he wanted to make you feel
how about we stuff it in the attic?
with the boxes and the taxes and the sounds of mice scratching
or drown it in wine
it’s a burial
but we’re bound to have a good time
do you feel helpless?
are you trying to find another way to feel?
do you feel helpless?
that’s how he wanted to make you feel
Almost
a bit of struggle breathing
a sense of coming unglued
a bit of the sense that they’d lost
what they worked hard to lose
he waits
an hour or two
then ten
to call
she thinks of the words to say
but then can’t find her phone or pen
Lullaby
we can reverse engineer anything
take a look at this striptease
it’s the bee’s knees
so if your friends leave you now
you don’t have to worry about a thing
it can keep you company
just let it take you to the diner
it knows what’s in a chest
cacophony, loneliness
and if you come down with mononucleosis
it knows to rub your back
call up your mom
pick up the slack
and sing you a lullaby…
go to sleep my little angel
stocks are up
walls are high
games await you
shhh, power down
let’s start your update now
so you can leave it all behind
it will pack your bags
and you just have to meet it at the diner
it knows what’s in a chest
cacophony, loneliness
and filling it in on your medical history
will give it the more precise ability to tailor its care
to your every need
and this way when you come down with mononucliosis
it will know to rub your back
call up your mom
pick up your slack
Muggers
we hold a grudge that’s weighed down many years
and though no one’s saying we should stay here
we grow married to small routines
grow married to what might have been
it’s always best to give the muggers what they want
the phone is still ringing all the time
the kids, they look like laundry
there’s nowhere left to hide
at home the water has welled up to our knees
wading through
because it outgrew the recipe
it’s always best to give the muggers what they want
so come on down and leave it all behind
pretend it’s yours
but know what’s yours is mine
you can fool all those people all the time
but I know you
I know
now, they’ve thought of everything
don’t be scared
they’ll take up the lion’s share, the scarecrow’s bluff
dangle on a wire
walk onto the wing
this bird likes to sing
so soothsayer call the shots
rake the speakers off their pots
hey! the muggers, they’re just leaving
why did the muggers leave you breathing?
now what do you believe in?
Seams
they’re coming to steal them
hold on to your feelings
lean in
out spills the fight
ready now
he’s dealing
with open eyes
we’re dreaming
lean back
talk fast and smile
you don’t look like
you’re coming apart at the seams
no fine lines
for these heady times
outsized, cartoon-like
draw in
map out a plea
ready now
you’re bleeding
can’t bear to watch him eating
climb fast
steady your grasp and smile
you don’t look like you come apart at the seams
why look out the window, at the cars crashing down below?
he knows you can’t look away from this
you can’t look away from this
you can’t look away from this
you can’t look away from this