LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

mommy came back
opened the door
junior was staring at
the kitchen floor

mommy asked him
what was the deal
his eyes glinted madly
shimmered like steel

answer me son
harshly she spat
quit playing games with me
she turned her back

his eyes turned red
claws stretched through skin
little sweet junior boy
started to grin

mom turned around
managed to shout
and died slowly gurgling
her throat torn out

junior growled low
turned on bent feet
and waited for daddy
so they could eat

RAGGEDY BUMS

A candied apple
a merry-go-round
a mugging at
the subway stop.

Popsicle sticks
litter the ground
a switchblade
opens a cop.

Sunny faces
freckles too
freebasing
in the slums.

Clowns painted
happy clowns
made up sad
into raggedy bums.

Candied apples
merry go rounds, or
freebasing in the slums.

A FEARSOME BEASTIF I EVER SAW ONE

BY SHAUN LAWTON

IT WAS A FEARSOME BEAST
AND ITS EYES GRINNED
FOR ME AND ME ONLY
I HAPPEN TO BELIEVE.

IT'S FUNNY TO LOOK
AT ITS FACE THOUGH
THE BLOODLUST IS SHINING
THERE AND ITS CLAWS

ARE DISTENDED IT MAKES
ME LAUGH TO THINK
ABOUT IT. IT MAKES ME
WINCE TO THINK ABOUT IT

AND IT BLEEDS SO SHARPLY
THAT I DON'T THINK ABOUT IT
WHY DOES IT BLEED? I ASK
MYSELF WHY DOES IT WHEEZE?

I ASK MYSELF AND I CAN'T
RUN AWAY WHY DOES IT DROOL?
I CAN'T GET AWAY I CANNOT RUN
A FEARSOME BEAST IF I EVER SAW ONE.

THE STORY OF OLD MAN JOE

THIS IS THE STORY OF OLD MAN JOE.
OLD MAN JOE WAS A MERRY OLD SOUL,
UNTIL A ROBBER HIS MONEY DID STOLE.
HE CALLED FOR HIS JUSTICE, HE CALLED FOR HIS RIGHTS.
WHILE THE ROBBER LOUNGED IN PARIS, SEEING THE SIGHTS.
WHEN HE CALLED THE POLICE, HE FOUND THEY WERE OUT TO LUNCH.

SO HE TOOK IT TO HIMSELF; OLD JOE HAD A HUNCH.
HE HEFTED UP HIS SHOTGUN, AND LOADED IT TWICE.
'THAT ROBBER'S GONNA GET SOMETHIN', AN' IT AIN'T TOO NICE.'
HE HELD UP THE AIRPORT AND ASKED TO FLY A PLANE.
BUT THE AIR CONTROLLER'S OFFICE YELLED 'YOU CAN'T. IT'S GONNA RAIN.
SO HE PULLED THE TRIGGERS ON HIS GUN AND BLEW EVERYONE AWAY.
'WHO CARES ABOUT THE WEATHER?' HE YELLED, 'IT AIN'T A RAINY DAY.'

HOPPING ON A JUMBO JET AND SLAMMING ON THE GAS,
OLD MAN JOE TOOK OFF FOR FRANCE, AND DIDN'T TAKE NO SASS.
THE PROBLEM BECAME EVIDENT AT SIXTY THOUSAND FEET.
'I'VE NEVER FLEWN A PLANE BEFORE, AN' I'M IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT.'
BEWILDERED AND DISMAYED, OLD JOE JUST SAID HIS PRAYERS.
'PLEASE DON'T LET ME DIE, WAY UP HERE IN THE AIRS.'

A MIGHTY HAND SWOOPED FROM THE CLOUDS
AND CAUGHT THE PLANE AT ONCE.
'I WILL GUIDE YOU,' BOOMED A VOICE, 'TO THE LAND YOU CALL FRUNCE.'
OLD MAN JOE COULDN'T BELIEVE HIS EARS
AND SO HE SAID OUT LOUD, 'GOD. GOD! THANK YOU LORD.
YOUR LOVE I'LL NEVER DOUBT.'

'WHY YOU NINNY,' BOOMED THE LORD, 'IT ISN'T THAT I DO,
I JUST LIKE TO PLAY WITH PLANES, IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF YOU.'
OLD MAN JOE JUST SAT AND CRIED, WHILE HEARING THE SAD NEWS.
THE LORD SAID, 'OLD MAN JOE, YOU'RE BURNING DOWN MY FUSE.'
THEN THE LORD SAID 'BESIDES, I LIKE THIS JUMBO JET.
I THINK I'LL TAKE IT BACK HOME AND ADD IT TO MY SET.'

AND SO OLD MAN JOE WAS TAKEN FOR A RIDE TO A VERY DISTANT LAND.
AND ALL THE TIME HIS AIRPLANE WAS CLUTCHED IN THE LORD'S HAND.
'I WONDER WHERE MY MONEY IS?' FUMED THE ANGERED MAN.
'IF I SAW THAT ROBBER NOW, I'D STUFF HIM IN A CAN.'
'NOW, NOW,' BOOMED THE LORD, 'WE'LL SOON ARRIVE AT HOME.
BY THE WAY, SHUT YOUR MOUTH, OR I'LL MAKE YOU A SLUDGE OF FOAM.'


TRANSCRIBED BY SHAUN LAWTON IN JAN OF 1982