Medicine Man

Faithful

Is there anything you can do

Anything at all

Anything you can do for me

‘Cause all the air is gone

And I’m looking at the dark side of the room

Medicine Man

Faithful

I know you still know my name here

You still know me here

You know me here – inside and out

Can’t hear you or feel you

But I know you are for me and that you know

Medicine Man

Faithful

I’m good at waiting in dark rooms

Waiting in the dark

Waiting for time to pass me by

‘Cause moons fall and suns rise

And I’ll call you now and I’ll call you then too

Medicine Man

Faithful

I will sleep on this

As a stopped road

Not an inch farther

Or a far-off gaze

Will let the leaver linger

And not death or dying

Can rest in the title

Or the final line

The tap don’t even drip

It’s done – it’s past – it’s dry

Back then

Yellow – Brown – Orange – Green

All made me sick to my stomach

Though the rainbow of the day

It felt dirty to me

Who can say

Back then

Scruffy and unshaved

Scratchy and blind

Talented but reckless and raw

I couldn’t find my wonder

Who can say

Back then

Clear lines of like and loathe

Why so leery – Why so shy

You’re in or you’re out – clearly

I simply noticed without landing

Who can say

A gallery tour

Wall to wall to wall

All the exhibits

And you are not there

Yet I’m told you are key

I scan the valley

I explore the sky

Behind and ahead

And you are not there

Yet I’m told you are key

Insignificant

Such a missing piece

My mind yells roll call

And you are not there

Yet I’m told you are key

Under the big top

In the day-to-day

On the ocean floor

And you are not there

Yet I’m told you are key

You were an important pillar
As it turns out
I needed you more than I knew
As it turns out

Friendship like shade
Friendship like shade

See you really hurt me a lot
As it turns out
And I’m still so angry with you
As it turns out

Friendship like shade
Friendship like shade

I hear you know that you blew it
As it turns out
We all see that pretty clearly
As it turns out

Friendship like shade
Friendship like shade

Not thinking about you at all
As it turns out
Is what I’m looking forward to
As it turns out

Friendship like shade
Friendship like shade

Can’t afford to wish you the best
As it turns out
‘Cause you drained my benevolence
As it turns out

Friendship like shade
Friendship like shade

Summer won’t follow this winter
As it turns out
These ashes can’t be swept away
As it turns out

Friendship like shade
Friendship like shade

No cooler and no coverage
As it turns out
No easy escape from the rain
As it turns out

Friendship like shade
Friendship like shade

You recognize the doer – the sensible – the sham

That beautiful buttonhole – the living art assured

Work – work – work – work – work

Without knowing being – without being, a show

Speak velvet raised – speak cashmere true

Work – work – work – work – work

Resplendent nature – nicer than otherwise known

But be careful that waving piece of monkey brass

Work – work – work – work – work

The red drapery would recognize his mistress

Among thousands and thousands in the dark

And work – work – work – work – work

All those gray areas of life and love

Ain’t going anywhere

It all sends you trifling on

You sit there – thinking you’re holding something

But you’re just a moonrise shy of a full night sky

And never the star you think you are

So you left a hole in the ocean

And it all leaked out

Now what?

Wring your hands a bit?

Triple your worry lines?

Or maybe ask a sage

How such destruction got in your soul?

Maybe

But here’s a thought

Just tell the truth

I mean

Finally tell the truth

Hear yourself say

That you can’t do

What can’t be done

Hear yourself say

That you couldn’t have done

What can’t be done

How about that

I mean

Rest in your shame

If you need to

And for as long as you need

Really

But before you do

Or as you do

Know what you didn’t do

Know that you did not

You absolutely did not

Drain the thing

You didn’t

You couldn’t have

Because

Not one ocean is missing

People are swimming in them as we speak

I suppose

I’d rather walk a causeway

‘Cause the waters of the flood in the plains

Leave ’em drowning and afraid

No – I can’t be up here

Looking down – far away

I suppose

You can do the math yourself

To be fair – it’s not about you right now

I’ll bring the band-aids myself

I just can’t be up here

Looking down – far away

I suppose

There’s just a great gnawing

That’s been attached to me since I was born

And there’s no escaping it

So – I can’t be up here

Looking down – far away

I may not get this right

But I’m sure

That sun will rise

And isn’t that grace enough

For me – for us

Five and two

On and on

Five and two

Great Provider

Here – somewhere – there’s a lag

But I’m sure

The oomph will come

We’ll start this day with a shove

A hand – a voice

Five and two

On and on

Five and two

Great Provider

That stream will be a stream

But I’m sure

We will be held

The mountains will be mountains

To live – to climb

Five and two

On and on

Five and two

Great Provider

A boy at the ready

But I’m sure

There will be more

And there will be more and more

To give – to watch

Five and two

On and on

Five and two

Great Provider