a work in progress - things to consider

poor little mountain boy
sheltered by your knotty pine
your mamma's bed
your sister's cries
the righteous blue unbending sky

and we made it to the top of that mountain, boy
with our hands held fast and our shoes laced tight
and i swear to god, i thought i'd die
under that righteous blue unbending sky

i don't know what it meant but i was something
to take home wrapped up in cellophane saved for tomorrow's meal
i was leftovers to share with your parents cos the rains came early this year
and the garden didn't yield much fruit

so with our hands held fast and our shoes laced tight
i filled up the tank and i drove to the heights of
the mountains that watched you grow into your skin
all painted different shades of blue

i wanted to taste good, i wanted to mean it
crush strawberries into my skin until i'm as stained as you
roll around in salt and let does bring their knobby knees to my bed


***

and we made it to the top of that mountain boy,
to your mama's bed and your knotty pine
and i swear to god i thought i'd die
under that sky so big it made my soul sing poetry
in the house your daddy built
on that grass your boy feet trampled

and you're all grown up now, big man with a
big vocabulary
but when i get the nerve to look you straight in the face
i still see a baby crying for the treetops.