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Memorizing Capitals

by Surface and Air

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1.
Postscripts 04:40
the early flowers get all the attention every spring faded green plastic soldiers carefully aimed midnight sound of distant boxcars through the fields
2.
Fire Drills 04:07
there's no intention of going back where it began still attempting to calculate what the distance is a reference point on a worn out pilgrimage a reference point on a pilgrimage to an unfamiliar house with a bit of hope adding to the growing pile of winter coats candlelit with no more miles left to go candlelit, no miles left to go there were random painted words on the kitchen wall the conversations in the living room were starting to stall oh what effort it took to seem so casual oh what effort to seem casual the shadows were the only things not taking sides while the strangers sat oblivious to the great divide and the best laid plans said "not this time" the best laid plans said "not this time" we swore we'd do it all again but we never will then filed back out onto the street like a fire drill another round of memorizing capitals memorizing capitals
3.
it's all there in the eyes they say "oh, all I thought I'd see and heaven knows I tried but missed the 'lie' in 'belief'" the edges have been dulled and now the cut will be much worse if we're not fulfilled in time the ending's really gonna hurt and we're talking in circles and we thought it would matter now edges have been dulled and this cut will be much worse when we're not fulfilled in time the ending's really gonna hurt and we're talking in circles and we thought it would matter
4.
I'm told my grandma died before I was born and Grandpa just got tired and moved farther north from his living room he'd stare out at the lake his weather radio reporting knots and the waves with every approaching storm he'd watch across the bay he thought of what he'd lost and all he'd never say when he left that shore he left words for me "life is just too short" he said "don't try to make them see"
5.
The Painter 05:07
"I'm a painter but not by day." is not what she came to say "I must confess I've overdressed please don't walk away" the ride home after the show her head pressed to the bus window her reflected stare with the city glare whispers, "we're all alone" up the stairs to her rented room that she swears she's leaving soon in the corner leans a canvas streaked mostly with the deepest blue she says "if today was just a number trapped in a grid on the wall, I'll build tomorrow slightly different even if it falls" in the closet near the back she finds her box of photographs and sorts them by what's still alive and all that's not coming back she lays down among the piles now the echoes have grown tired and drifts to sleep to distant beats and the humming in the wires
6.
a little grey, a little death patterns in the atmosphere light a fire, give it breath ashes born of faith and fear the perfect plans begin to rust now fields lie littered with debris trace the outline of an empty cup with the consequence of curiosity all risings fall an advertisement of the latest fix and a line has formed to see the show no hesitation to throw the switch then rushing to the next false hope all risings fall
7.
Still Quiet 03:10
doors are slamming shut again wars so easy to begin it's a long road to find the option not to fight still quiet words have taken over space blame then dodge the ricochet beneath the raging voices, electric images at night there's still quiet and none of this is even possible there will be scars to show the past was never perfect and the future's in disguise still quiet not to argue for position hell-bent and paralyzed rushing east into the darkness just to speed the rising light
8.
even the echoes seem uncertain about the way back home and the land above the fault lines just pretends it doesn't know unnoticed deep within these woods the season's lightning fires burn unconcerned with finding meaning or the aftermath of words a stack of maps now long outdated in a dusty shoe box on the shelf there was comfort in potential even the echoes seem uncertain about the way back home and the land above the fault lines still pretends it doesn't know a kid hears late night city static under covers on an AM radio there was comfort in potential
9.
10.
and then one day, one day you're done the airwaves filled with unfamiliar songs tired from the race but find that no one won a fading series of intersections and suddenly so little's left to say at the horizon line of a great northern lake a weathered past driftwood lining the bay unpredictable exhalation days

credits

released May 28, 2016

All songs written, performed and recorded at home in Portland, Oregon by Kurt G. (guitar, vocals, harmonica, ukulele and shruti box)

©2016 Surface and Air

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Surface and Air Portland, Oregon

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