Straw

i am a growing boy and i donate all my shoes
and make lists of things to do when i forget how huge the world is
outside of my little cotton-lined room
and the first thing on the list it says go read a book
and the second one says teach yourself the cello or some instrument
and third gain some perspective of intimate distance
maybe then it’ll make some sense
cause the world is all spinning around you now
so caffinate and quilt your skin
is this where we begin
to sort our problems out
the ones we make up living easy lives
then we realize
we’re growing up just fine
and i’m burning with the people who all know they know me best
but if i’m gonna fashion something better from this mess i guess
i’ll be no different from the rest
but i’ll be setting tables then cause you’re dressed as the chef
and the fork goes on the left and the knife goes on the right with the edge
slouching back against the spoon
and the others they’re gonna be here real soon
and the straw it sings and creaks like a choir now
and the sticks sniff out the weak and they shout
who can we do without
you choose who you love now
you’re far from grown but start pretending
you’ve got directions to make this man you’re building
i am a burning boy minus any smell of smoke
cause all of the straw men that i made are getting loans and moving in
to the open space in the back of my van
and they’re all backseat drivers worse then any family
and they’re laughing at my signaling and whispering these little things
like you learn to love us all in time my dear
but for now keep your hands on the wheel
and the scabs on his head they’re growing in number now
so shoo them off and pick away the doubt
but what could we do without
these little lovely doubts
they wear me down to smooth untethered boughs
so let them swing back and forth on me

Song history

December 2014: First demo of what later became Straw.

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