Friday, 21 March 2014

american selfie

sweet dreams are made of these

this is just going to take a minute
you're intense and need a stabilizer  
a tranquilizer, a maximizer
just a little bump
to keep you
on toppa

tings 



a m e r i c a n   s e l f i e



that friendly - feminine voice - the voice of comfort 

relax - ok just shut
the f*ck up and listen
ok, your finances are low
and your blood pressure is high
we can fix all that

whispering - shhhh









 ok, we've developed this little cocktail
just for you and you're just right for the trial run
good news - i've just talked to my manager 
congratulations!  you're IN

yes - you qualify!

just be patient - ok not just yet

if you believe in the prescription transcription
it's new, improved and approved
you're doing just fine

relax

oh right, your insurance may not cover this
do you have a back-up plan 
a contingency - i mean

credit card perhaps


who am i to disagree


there you go - are we feeling better yet
oh more - you want more - no
that's not how this works

who do i work for ?
not important









i get angry sometimes
assholes - all of them
no worries - i got it all in check
it's all about the reassurance
i've been recruited
by the best

trust me, it's all i ask
it's all going to be
ok

rage/rape management comes with membership
and i'm an employee - yep big perks
ok like, you - can be just like
ME


travel the world - and the seven seas


we've got this all under control
OMG like - i got this phone 
and can take pictures
of myself in like - high def
and post them on-line
with my friends

i can even have "friends"
that i don't even really have
how frikkin cool
is that


?








everybody's looking for something


so ok, enough about you - let's talk about
ME

i gotta story to tell and gosh darnit
i'm gonna get this out there

the american dream can be real
you just have to believe
this is a slam-dunk
scenerio


some of them want to use you


just follow along and remain calm
it's all i ask








your paralysis progress report will be available
on-line in just a few short weeks
- at www.youareofficiallyfucked.com - 
oh and your membership comes with 24/7 tech support

just sign in with your username
credit card number 
and password

we got you covered - you're beautiful
you're going to be
ok



a m e r i c a n   s e l f i e
  


until then

just relax, strapped in
put on your high fidelity ear-buds
and drift into your familiar slumber
oh you like the "Beebs"
get the f*ck out

!








yes, you too can be a "belieber"
hey kids - just plug and play

medication is not that bad really
once you get used to it


some of them want to be 
used by you


it's like taking that little trip back home
and into that comfort carnival
that you've become 
accustomed to
only better

because we have this way
of making the pain go away
while you still maintain 
your 3 squares a day

hey mom - STOP EATING!









oh right, did i mention - there's a disclaimer
nothing important really
it's just this contract you need to sign
ok, right - right here 
on the dotted line

this is something you're deciding to do yes
it's not something that we can ultimately
be responsible for


i'm gonna use you
abuse you


 no worries - all ok, just relax - just surrender to the process
you're worth it - remember that we're looking out for you
we're on top of things

no worries






 


a m e r i c a n   s e l f i e




sweet dreams
are made of these


you're not alone - no, not just yet - but hey
there's a movie coming out soon - top shelf
and you my friend 


are in it






 

Saturday, 15 February 2014

nebraska

it's a flat land - flat people - it's grey a lot
people drink to forget

ok yes, my trajectory is uncertain 
but at least - there's this
rusty remnant

it's my take on this wonderful film
having just watched it - inspired
it started further south
in a quiet place
years ago 



n e b r a s k a 








ok, Pointe Aux Roches Ontario
same difference - displaced unemployed
 french canadians living in shacks on welfare cheques
why here

?


orange buses take kids to school an hour away in Comber 
shooting mushy spit-balls in the rear seats through gutted bic pens
and it's always cold - even in summer
there's a train that rolls through 
every day, but never stops

mostly american owned summer cottages 
on southern Lake Saint Clair - remote
older local kids (a kilometer away)
have pellet guns and sling-shots
that can take out a cat's eye
from a hundred feet, hell
even mini-bikes and 
ski-doos!

i'm not allowed to hang out with them (but do anyway)
ah, ok - not a whole lot to do here
7 years - in purgatory 

alone

  






CKLW-AM radio (Windsor) to ease the pain
only because they play motown (and Grand Funk Railroad)
Dad and step-mom like it too
sometimes - but not always 
defaulting to Eddy Arnold
on the record player
in lit zone

Mom and step-dad have no idea
where we even are
far away

welcome to my life in 1968
on a shallow brown lake that looked a lot
like the broken sky

there's a dog turd in Doug and Wayne Poole's bedroom 
smells bad - flies/bugs - impervious
it's been there for a few days/crusty surface
their dad comes home drunk every night - smacks their mom around
Laura Poole just sits at the kitchen table smoking cigarettes all day
and waits for him.  showing myself out
before the shit-show begins



n e b r a s k a









alright

everyone has a thorn in their side 
and a cut on their head 

it's about missing teeth
and false expectations
my childhood 

dad's fucked up again - sheeeit 
helping him get up - to the couch
"go to sleep - gonna be ok
in the mornin' "

it's a place that i'm most familiar with
too much time and not enough inspiration

i'm thinkin' 

maybe not your movie but mine
a film i just saw
amazing 

highly recommended
ok, long story.  let's just say 
that i loved my music
at the time 









succinctly capturing the essence of my childhood
in Stoney Point Ontario with my younger brother  
flat-lands/grey-scales in black and white
a prudent production maneuver 
regardless

i'm just a bit confused at the moment
why is life so difficult anyway

?


just a question
just a tad curious, like you possibly are too
in front of a mid-afternoon fuzzy TV that gets 3 stations on a good day   

"thinkin' it's time for another round of beers Martha"








n e b r a s k a
 

thinking tonight 
it's all in the outlook
assessing and resolving
life is what you make it, yes?
heard that somewhere
before too

and regardless of the setbacks?
i'm much preferring to look onwards and upwards

i'm betting that you share that
with me 



dedicated to Glen James LaMarche
(1925 - 2002) 



(you could play the clip and re-read this whilst - recommended)