appalachian murder ballad
the devil never called his name
didn't have to
he already had his undivided attention
when times have gotten tough
mankind has always been inclined
or felt an obligation
to make a blood offering
to put things right
some have used ritual murder
of fatted calf or out of town strangers
others have gone right for the throat
of their own kinfolk
when in need of sacrificial blood
to slap on the front door
its mankind's excuse
to act out less than divine impulse
as twisted reasoning
to do what they would do
in any case
a way to clear the conscience
as well as the slate
find a religious justification in acts
that have no spiritual significance
whatsoever
but is a quick sure-fire way
to learn to speak
a dead language
high noon
when the shadow gets longer
than we could ever stretch
our limitations grow more obvious
a surface logic
begging to be scratched out
or painted over
a patriarchal attitude
without the experience or wisdom
to back it up
a wounded ego
that won't fit the chalkmark
& nothing to stop the swelling
big trouble on the rise
& those survival tactics
you once swore by
aren't going to start
any discussions
or stop any repercussions
suffering
suffering can reveal so much
a painful omission
or more than you thought
you had in you
suffering can do strange things
to a man's soul
can have a positive
or negative effect
usually depending on where we've been
leading up to it
how we've been prepared
or prepared ourselves in many cases
its a wide open future
ranging from an assumed identity
with a clear shot
at something beautiful
to criminal intent
because
god knows
they had it coming
limelight
those who can't tell the difference
between a prayer & a sermon
are usually operating
from a small, limited perspective
either because they've been coddled
& shielded from certain ugly realities
or have too much
to ever have been tempted
they're mesmerized
with an image of themselve
on a gold-plated soapbox
they're cursed
with an absolute certainty
& complete confidence
in themselves
