Red leaves fall in the caterwaul
like a lifetime dreamt and lost.
Cold hands ball
into fists and crawl
into coats to flee the frost.
Autumn-walkers shiver off the their daydreamt desire,
shuffle into lamplight for a place by a fire,
grounded feet and quiet hearts, resignedly retire.
White winds wail
as a ship sets sail
on a screen five feet away.
A thunderous gale
should a hero fail
to protect in light of day.
Curling toes were comfort when legs would enfold.
She surveys a dashing, daring thing grown old--
his eyes once were filled with sun, now reflect the cold.
Isn’t there a fold in the dark to hide us
where Ticking Clock won’t show its face?
Isn’t there a bold word fallow inside us
to seed with furtive finger trace?
Grey thoughts hiss
from a dark abyss,
hushing cries of valiance.
Fates amiss
quell a fledgling kiss
on the banks of brilliance.
Oh, how glass is colorless, confining and stern.
Oh, how I long to slip away and not return.
The vibrancy you paint across my eyes seems eternally to burn.
Isn’t there a fold in the dark to hide us
and seal us from the static space?
Isn’t there a soft smirk waiting to guide us,
suspended, hidden in your face?
There are so many pale, vapid arms
under blankets with a cracked, coarse heart.
And what a needless wasting away,
pressing close, and falling apart.
I would go, if I could just start.
Isn’t there a fold in the earth to take this,
and press it gently into ash?
Distill the yellow, red, and blue from whiteness--
what once was burning now a flash.
And can’t there be a joyful ending somehow?
Remembrance played across a smile.
A question dancing in a crooked eyebrow--
What beauties next will us beguile?
For I have folded longing and love
like a note to its own dismay
and I have kept cool embers of passion
for longer than I can say.
I may be cruel, but I won’t be grey.
credits
from Three Songs,
released June 28, 2013
Kevin Mason Hull: Guitar, piano, vocals
James Meder: String rattle
Thin Lear's sophisticated rock music is tempered with soaring chamber pop accents and an undeniable gift for melody. Bandcamp New & Notable Jul 30, 2020
