Ballroom Bill & The Calliope Kid

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soul drifter
Senior Member

since 2004-09-08

Posts 711
Colorado

0 posted 2005-09-25 03:34 PM

(A nonsensical epic, partly inspired by Tom Waits and early Bruce Springsteen. Enjoy.)

Ballroom Bill & The Calliope Kid

I. The Junkyards of Heaven

In walks
Ballroom Bill and the Calliope Kid
wondering what you did
to have to play second fiddle
to the idiot bandleader
in the junkyards of heaven

In talks
with the circus caller
says the Calliope Kid,
"I have played the middle
of a Mozart opera in the desert
in front of a 7-11"

When you touch down in Memphis
say hi to Elvis for me
and give him my blessings
it's the sun that's messing with you, so
to the moon, Alice, with your love
I've rediscovered a narcissist-sister in my darkest dreams
I've invented a Jesus-sustained feeling of general malaise

In stalks
Ballroom Bill and the Calliope Kid
wandering inside the inner id
of the still burning riddle
in my sedated teddy bear of a heart
inbalmed in the ironworks of hell

II. X & Y

Imbued with an unofficial sense of wonder
about the circus tent's tumble in thunder
sounding in the Illinois black night
taking back the night
taking it for you in a locket of silver-blue
and I'm a curl in your necklace
and I'm a thumb on your guitar
and you're a tunnel in the mountain
and you're a storm coming to destroy
the Calliope Kid and his boot heel dreams
and the boot heel wanders the dreams
for me

X & Y tattooed on my chest
X & X on the amber bottle of her
drinking her
as Ballroom Bill drove the cab
to the Atlantic
sinking 'neath Asbury lights
narcotically humming in my mind
symbollically an atheist
but a belief in her broke up my signs
leading the lost to the crossroads
of sparkling dew
who the hell are you
frankly I don't care

III. Pretty Bleak

The actress cries
and you find the skies
in her corduroy soul
rubbing against you
a feature film of unbelievable love
in the bleak matinee
between red and blue
the light cutting straight through you
like the actress sighs
sigh...

Yes I said
pretty bleak in the picture frame
the old Beatle boots buried in the dirt
of your 14-year-old face
streaming tearlines
like streamers on your bike
stop loving her now
and cry...
and wonder why

IV. Wonderkid '74

Hail the wonderkid
in the '74 Nova
face like a supernova
heart wrapped in dry ice
sniffing whippets in the 7-11
this is his only way out

His parents cause him to feel again
but he's so sick of them
so he gives his cash to the Calliope Kid
and wanders the dreamroad through the arcade
like a black and white rainbow
Zenith, baby
this is his only way out

With a nail he writes AMERICA$H on his arm
and kisses the Jerseyworld goodbye
goodbye
sweet Jennifer
sweet saint of the next block over
a moment of futile prayer
and into the leather clad night
we go

V. Epilogue (Bill Crosses the Delaware)

Out tonight
Bill dressed in spikes
and soon crossed the Delaware
one rainy grey day
carrying the Calliope Kid away
because the streets have broken down
and the horse tickets have lied
and the water tower has crashed to the ground
and you mother slept with the southside
so let's...

So let's float away
to the junkyards of heaven
to play the ending
of a Mozart opera
on a baby grand
in the garage orchestra
next to the 7-11

Out goes
Ballroom Bill and the Calliope Kid
wondering what you did
to play second fiddle
to the idiot girlfriend
of the junkyard man
in the imbalmed iron of the
junkyard's playground of heathens
outcasts of the
junkyards of heaven

"The moon ain't romantic, it's intimidating as hell". -- Tom Waits, 'Bad Live and a Broken Heart'

Margherita
Member Seraphic

since 2003-02-08

Posts 22236
Eternity

1 posted 2005-09-25 05:39 PM

quote:
and wanders the dreamroad through the arcade
like a black and white rainbow

I let Bruce Springsteen's voice sing your song and well that's some sound!

I think you have done a great job.

Love,
Margherita

Earth Angel
Member Empyrean

since 2002-08-27

Posts 40215
Realms of Light

2 posted 2005-09-26 10:07 AM

I'll have a sip of whatever it is that you are drinking! Nothing like a bit of the non-sensical to lighten dark days!

A treat to read!

Love, Light, and Laughs,
EA

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