and this for what

giving it away to you year after year
your face in my eyebrows, your tongue in my ear
my tongue in your mouth and my heart in your hands
for those moments I thought that I knew how to dance

a cripple in maximum security confinement
you tossed me a heartthrob, I chose to refine it
I gave you much more than you can ever repay
and I sit in my back yard a cripple today

the tall trees all shimmer, they slide and they rock
precious baby, you think that you taught me to walk
but I gave you more than you can ever repay
I gave you my death and you kissed it away

you kissed all my scabs and you salved all my fears
I gave it away to you year after year
you thought you'd bewitched me but I was the slyer
you thought that you'd touched me, but I was a liar

the dead trees all quaver, they shake and they rock
and I'm an old man on a bench in the park
and I am not bitter, and I'd do it again
for you were my princess and I was insane

--Ross Bender

beatniks

the beatniks are coming to town

you can see it in their eyes

old souls, and wise

sorrowful deep soulful eyes

don’t look much like beatniks though

more like angels

or Taoist immortals

balding, with those straggly beards

don’t wear those berets anymore

don’t dress in black

these aren’t the young hipsters

but the ancient survivors

gentle, been through the wars

flips, epiphanies and highs

they’re down

on the ground

but they swing

oh yeah they swing

like the old crows

on the wing

--Ross Bender