Stay With Me

May trigger some

A broken man can't see one more tomorrow.

Tears stream down the barrel of his gun.

Perhaps the bullet just might kill his sorrow;

at the very least, the man that he's become.

He grips the pistol, but then somhow he falters

Just before the gun can bring a violent end.

His toilet might as well have been an alter

as he confides in his long-lost, faithful friend:

Can You stay with me if only for a moment?

Just a little while and, I swear, I'll be just fine.

Hold me close and tell me about atonement,

I think it'll make more sense to me this time.

An old man gazes out across the morning.

He remembers when the bells of freedom rang.

But freedom fell not long after the warning

heard in every old folk song he'd ever sang.

Three days with no food; he just wants water.

Who can eat with the smell of hatred in the air?

He holds a crumpled picture of his daughter

And whispers soft a pleading, hopeless prayer:

Can You stay with me if only for a moment?

Just a little while and, I swear, I'll be just fine.

Hold me close and tell me about atonement,

I think it'll make more sense to me this time.

All my life, I've only known these troubles.

They empty every promise of good times.

Now I'm buried deep beneath this rubble;

reaching out with hands of written rhymes.

Tragedy has always been my shadow.

It follows me to tell me when I'm wrong.

Sometimes, I get tired from this long battle.

But it seems to put the ink in all my songs.

Can You stay with me if only for a moment?

Just a little while and, I swear, I'll be just fine.

Hold me close and tell me about atonement,

I think it'll make more sense to me this time.

[mrmonk]

Remarkable song, dude, remarkable. Is there music written for it, as well? If so, it should be recorded. Though I haven't heard many of his songs, for some reason, this song makes me think of James McMurtry.

[Hidden in reply to mrmonk]

Thanks, man. I haven't yet. I have the melody in my head, but haven't been able to convey that yet.

[mrmonk in reply to Hidden]

Do you play an instrument?

[Hidden in reply to mrmonk]

Yeah, I play guitar.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

You can read more of my poetry if you search the name J A Perkins. Just throwing that out there.

[mrmonk in reply to Hidden]

Found them on Hello Poetry. Thanks, dude.

[Hidden in reply to mrmonk]

Most welcome

[Stilltrying_]

Amazing. Very powerful.

[Hidden in reply to Stilltrying_]

Thanks

[aaronm]

That's awesome!

[Glenora]

Very powerful indeed. I play too, my husband also. My daughter is a vocalist and plays ukelele and piano. Ok. So enjoying the idea of hearing this work completed. Do you record your own work? We have a small home recording studio. It does the job well enough. I would love to hear you play.

[Hidden in reply to Glenora]

No, I don't record. I don't have anything like that. Just a guitar and these songs I've written. If you want, you can record this song. I'm okay with it. Thanks for reading it.

[Glenora]

Oh sorry didn't clarify we play guitar, my husband plays Jazz mostly.

[Hidden in reply to Glenora]

That's awesome.