Look At Us Now

Old romances are dust. Not as a fact, because vivid memories will stir at times despite what we intend. Rather, the idea that "old romances are dust" is a mental discipline.

The dual one-two punch of American consumer culture and second-rate religion steers us mightily toward the mindset that morality and ethics are twin downers whose agency is fear and shame. What poison! It is helpful sometimes to remember that the ancient sages advocated moral and ethical behavior because it produces happiness and a sense of well-being here and now, not just because it gives us a Get Out of Hades Free card in some imagined future realm.

So, why all this? Like many people, I have dealt with the end of relationships by expressing myself in poetry or song. Oddly, though, some of these songs were judged decent enough to still be part of the Dentones' set list. Go figure. Luckily, Mila is quite cool about it and has raised nairy a word of objection- otherwise I'd feel really odd about our performing them.

Having said all this, here is an old "break up" song that I am posting because the time seems right for someone I know.


Look at Us Now

look at us now, my irish child,
completely undone like the tower of babel
i thought it would last a thousand years,
i thought it would take me to the gates of heaven

i can feel the tumbling dice,
lord, i can feel the turning of the wheel of fortune

love is a ship on stormy sea
and 'down with all hands' is an old, old story-
who stands with a tether while the wind blows free
will stand by the pails when the deck starts leaning

i can feel the tumbling dice,
lord, i can feel the turning of the wheel of fortune

the travel's done, it's the journey's end,
you're home again, it's like there's been no leaving-
the morning comes and you will rise again-
find your staff and your cockle by the doorjamb leaning

i can feel the tumbling dice,
lord, i can feel the turning of the wheel of fortune

we lay together in invited heat
you slung your soul around me so soft and slowly-
i asked you how you might want it to be,
you said, "thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory"


tonight, oh, tonight,
heaven...heaven's open wide

-c. 1990