Yonder Tree

Russian blue, yeah russian blue
Like sapphire in the sun
She taunted me so tenderly
What speck of logic i possess
Was hard on the run

I begged myself, don't give an inch
Don't wrestle with them eyes
One fatal glance, one look askance
Will only end in sorrow
Oh, dear boy, be advised
You're a happy man, and happy man
Resist what fools might do
Yeah, right, such noble words would be wise
If only they were truev 'cause her eyes are so unbearably blue

Now ain't i smart, so insufferably smart
Why it leaves me stupefied
The face is flush, my mind is mush
I oughta cut and run
But all i do is slip and slide

Seems my body and my soul
Got conflicting points of view
Now then, which master do i serve
If i only knew
'cause her eyes are so unbearably blue
Unbearably blue

The coolness of your kiss
The lingering of your sigh
Your sweet yet unconvincing smile
Tell me no lie
Is it a wish for second youth
The age of lost romance
Or does a half-forgotten dream need one more chance
It's your life, what can i say
Right or wrong, either way
You owe it to yourslf to have your day

Well i must admit i'm crushed
Bewildered and betrayed
Still i won't hold you to the promises we made
Ah, love is such a mess
It's a painful work of art
Seems it's every man for himself to find his heart
So say goodbye and say no more
See what lies outside that door
You owe it to yourself to know for sure

No tears, no lies, no long goodbyes don't be cruel, baby
Just let me wish you well
Go seek and find, while i'm still inclined to play the fool, baby
You owe it to yourself

So say goodbye and say no more
See what lies outside that door
You owe it to yourself to know for sure
Know for sure
For sure

Well, you can wear those pajamas like those tibetan llamas all day
You can be the ascetic profound and prophetic in most every way
You can model your life after christ or suffice with simon peter
You can bathe in holy water bow to gideon or gautama
Or the pyramids of giza
You can wear your frock, your collar, or your shawl
But there's a little bit of judas in us all

You can keep your conscience swept clean
Your front lawn looking green
It's a keen neighborhood
You visit your sick mother weekly
Spring for charity freely like a moral man should
You brought two children in' the world a little boy, a little girl
You dutifully clothe and you feed them
Ou come straight home to your wife
You want no trouble in your life
You swear you'll never cheat on them
Now suddenly you're feeling so small
'cause there's a little bit of judas in us all

Well, excuse my digression
But i had the distinct impression she loved me so
So as not to try her conscience
She handed me a crock of nonsense while she bled me slow
Now her picture hangs on the wall to remind me
There's a little bit of judas in us all
A little bit of judas, a little bit of judas,
In us all

Walter whitman where are you
Among the stars or, in the earth beneath my shoe
It's just cause i'm wondering
Could you walk with me awhile
And maybe heaven could spare you awhile

Walter whitman i confess
My faith is shaken
And my life's a holy mess
Yes, i need deliverance
But i'd settle for a smile
Now maybe heaven can spare you awhile

I thought i heard you yawpin' from the yonder tree
I swore i heard you say
"don't worry boy, shut up, enjoy, be free"

Walter whitman i declare
I could sing songs of joy
Through my darkness and despair
It's just i'm hoping
You could shed some light
That is if heaven can spare you tonight

"don't worry boy, shut up, enjoy, be free"

Walter whitman i declare
I could sing songs of joy
Through my darkness and despair
It's just i'm hoping
Yoy could coax a problem child
Now maybe heaven could spare you a while

Walter whitman where are you?

Hail to the shaman and his cardboard drum and the riffraff
Dancing in the sun
I sing for thee
Praise to the ugly and the dispossessed and the genius born of
The viper's nest
You have set me free
Hey, you cranks and you clowns with your heads hanging down
I bring good tidings to you
For all the talent that he has jehovah don't play jazz like the devil do

See the rose sprung from the heap of dung
The shafthorse hot and heavy hung shamelessly
Check the star dust oozing in the mud on it pilgrimage to flesh and blood
Now ain't that you and me
Hey, you shakespeares in rags little heretics and hags
To thine own self be true
Well, he may be beautiful and king but jehovah he don't swing like the devil

Birdman, birdman, what's the word, man
Into the night we go
Billie, billie, knock me silly
Sing to me soft and low
Save me from losing my soul to a heaven as cold as ice
I'd sooner be a free man in hell than a prisoner in paradise

So i toot my toot for the man with roots
Hey, fifer on the e-flat flute play on, play on
All you sinners and you infidels you you artful madmen bound for hell
Come sing along
Come on, you potty-trained saints spouting' isms and ain'ts
Dig the poetry my man
Well all deference to his throne
Gabriel he don't play no saxophone like coltrane can

Now, save me from losing my soul to a heaven as cold as ice
I'd sooner be a free man in hell than a prisoner in paradise

I'd sooner catch fire than kill my desire

Hail to the shaman and his cardboard drum and the riffraff
Dancing in the sun
I sing for you
For all the talent he has jehovah don't play jazz like the devil do
Yeah, the devil do
Must admit he do
Ah, da devil do

Birdman, birdman, what's the word, man
Into the night we go
Billie, billie, knock me silly
Sing to me soft and low

Foll all the talent that he has jehovah don't play no jazz ....