Broken Wing
You were dressed all in black
the day I began to crave you
I took one step back
said – here we goAnd I don’t know nothing
about nothing about nothing
and I’m not going to tell you
what I know.Broken wing
and your legs scarcely carry you
and did you let go of everything
did you let go of everything?And I don’t know nothing
about nothing about nothing
and I’m not going to tell you
what I know.Jet and blood
on the snow
sweat and plunge
in high summer
and did you let go of everything
did you let go of everything?Last night the lightning struck the bone
And still you didn’t know which way to run.One lucky sail
against the sea
and you calling to some beloved
Speed you, broken wing
I watch you go
Speed you, broken wing
I watch you goAnd I don’t know nothing
about nothing about nothing
and I’m not going to tell you
what I know.You were dressed all in black
the day I began to crave you
I took one step back
said – here we go
© Fintan Lucy 2002
Bye So…
How the frozen bells shine out tonight
winking back
should have known now not to try
to melt the frosts before their timeThe ivy clings and climbs the bell-tower wall
the grass grows beneath us all
and very soon the wind will take away
the breath of every word we think to sayBye so…bye so…bye so…
see you the next timeNow I think I might have half a clue
my wildest dreams I stretch across the blue
and leave it in the starry laps of who knows who
where the story goes with me and youBye so…bye so…bye so…
fine so, bye so, bye
see you the next timeshould have known now not to try
to melt the frosts before their time
© Fintan Lucy 2002
Grey-blue eyes
Blue light on the harbour
blue clouds in a blue sky
blue stones in the water
and a pair of grey-blue eyesI’m so glad I asked you
so glad I asked you twice, three times
thought we might have sweet timesSee what I mean,
it’s just like I say
things never seemed
to turn out that wayHow do you think I am?
how do you think I am?
can’t you see that I’m smiling?
can’t you see that I’m smiling?
can’t you see that I’m smiling
just to hide the thunder in my eyes?I’m so glad I asked you
so glad I asked you twice three four times
thought we might have more timeWalking down the road
it comes into my head
something ‘bout your shoes
beside my bedHow do you think I am?
how do you think I am?
can’t you see that I’m smiling?
can’t you see that I’m smiling?
can’t you see that I’m smiling
just to hide the thunder in my eyes?Blue light on the harbour
blue clouds in a blue sky
blue stones in the water
and a pair of grey-blue eyes
© Fintan Lucy 2002
The Is and Was and Maybes
From the yellow shadow of your doorway
I felt the earth’s skull crack
light bursting from the core
flowing up to warm my dead soles
you kow you make my hair stand on end sometimes
the rumour’s felt among the roots of grass and weeds
where I’m lying cold on the river
I’m warming on your heartstones
the riddle is a needle sewing skins
your skin’s golden under light-blown hair
stitch in and out where the blood flows
from the bellows
from nowhere
as we breathe
swirl
til the sun may shine
and the rain may fall
and I won’t care
won’t mind at allFrom the yellow shadow of your hallway
I felt the forest rip from inside
you know there is a story there no tears can tell
it lies outside the salt tracks of time
now the needle’s lying on a sidetable
peace enfolds the holy bodies there entwined
with all the is and was and maybes unfurling
behind the golden shutters of your mind
as we breathe
swirl
til the sun may shine
and the rain may fall
and I won’t care
won’t mind at all
yeah the sun may shine
and the rain may fall
and I won’t care
won’t mind at all
© Fintan Lucy 2002
Novohal
So you heard
I’m in danger
of losing the head
to a stranger
I’m only happy when I’m thereAnd the rain falls like lead
and the thunder
that’s why I’m in my bed
sometimes under
I know I’m taller when I standAnd the shale cliff crumbles
in the sea-storm
the witch cracks her knuckles
and hugs herself warm
so much beauty turned to bitternessBut I still love the sun
in my kitchen
ruffles my hair
like bird-song
I’ll get up soon and go
to Novohal
to Novohal
to Novohal
to Novohal
© Fintan Lucy 2002
Peace Will Come Again
Apples will ripen in the Spring
O la the livelong day
When ostriches take to the wing
Peace will come again some daySome look for answers in a book
O la the livelong day
I prefer a worm without a hook
Peace will come again some daySunken faces in the rain
O la the livelong day
Run out to run back in again
Peace will come again some daySunny castle on a cliff
O la the livelong day
Sunken men mutter ‘If…’
Peace will come again some dayThey scored their story on my back
O la the livelong day
I lay inside a crimson sack
Peace will come again some dayI found a whistle by a stream
O la the livelong day
I played it til it boiled and steamed
Peace will come again some dayI play the pipe from twelve to ten
O la the livelong day
I’m never going back again
Peace will come again some dayApples will ripen in the Spring
O la the livelong day
When ostriches take to the wing
Peace will come again some day
© Fintan Lucy 2002
Surely
A few flecks of snow fall from the sky
John laughs, he loves winter
the freshest season
and certainty returns
surely
surely
as sun’s orange will turn green
the moon throw parallelograms
through his windows
againSurely, surely…
Here lies
under the deep blue sea
the ballroom chandelier
and if we raise the wreck
encrusted and luxuriant
surely
surely
an egg will be an egg
the moon throw opals
through his portholes
againSurely, surely…
© Fintan Lucy 2002
The Day That She Comes
Well the Christmas decorations are all broken and hung down
there’ll be some celebrations on the day that she comeson the day that she comes on the day that she comes
there’ll be ditches dug and banners hung
on the day that she comesYou’ve been waiting for the tidal wave
waiting for love to come
well there’ll be some situations on the day that she comeson the day that she comes on the day that she comes
there’ll be ditches dug and banners hung
on the day that she comesAnd the longest train I ever saw
hasn’t passed by yet
there are coaches to burn
coaches to spare
and the driver grins in grim despair
and the wallpaper cracks
bone china shatters
and the Christmas decorations are all broken and hung down
there’ll be some celebrations on the day that she comeson the day that she comes on the day that she comes
there’ll be ditches dug and banners hung
on the day that she comes
© Fintan Lucy 2002
Warm Salvation
Dig…dig deep…dig in the heels
walking the streets
you see two men in earnest conversation
‘and then your soul is salvaged’, says one
‘and you go up to heaven’
and he’s waving at the rainclouds
while here, down on the street, it’s all happeningand the rain falls and stops
and busking later on the shiny slabs you see
two girls stop for one to tie her shoe
and you hook your mind
in between the lines
and you dig the heels in goodand in the dead of night, warm salvation
wrecked and past crawling, warm salvation
and when the vice grips tightest, warm salvationand when you’ve drawn the curtains all around your bed
some new commotion
because its none of your business
might draw your attention
and there you are
between breakfast trays
and thermometers
starting to hear the horses
the bells on the harnesses
voices in the yard
coming homeand in the dead of night, warm salvation
wrecked and past crawling, warm salvation
and when the vice grips tightest, warm salvationdig – warm – deep – salvation – dig – warm – deep – salvation…
© Fintan Lucy 2002
You Don’t Care
When you left the house this morning
with a swagger and a crooked smile
I was thinking of your past glories
and how easy it is to use up all my timeSo let the leaves fall on the water
and let the water take those leaves away
when you said you’d think it over
it was just another way of saying you don’t careWell your face is cracked and tired, dear,
and your thoughts are painted bone,
your fancy words run on like water
but your eyes have turned to stoneSo let the leaves fall on the water
and let the water take those leaves away
when you said you’d think it over
it was just another way of saying you don’t careThere’s a bird of many colours
who flies above the choppy seas
above the clouds there’s always sunshine
behind closed doors there’s always fearI’m going out tomorrow morning
to walk a long and crooked mile
til I find what keeps me warm, dear
cos you know I’ve been cold here all the timeSo let the leaves fall on the water
and let the water take those leaves away
when you said you’d think it over
it was just another way of saying you don’t care
© Fintan Lucy 2002
Who Feels the Most
You pull over the covers
cos you’re tired of all those others
and you blame yourself for everything you see
your hands and fists are useless
while you remain quite clueless
how to brush away the weeks of weird debrisYou lie awake
hearing the prickle of the rain
and though you ache
you will not wait in vain
who feels the most
has the most to gainAnd there’s a quiet paralysis
fading in your wakened carcass
and you breathe in up against the darkened wall
and the stars insist on shining
between the clouds you’re riding
you can’t even say you’re heading for a fallYou lie awake
hearing the prickle of the rain
and though you ache
you will not wait in vain
who feels the most
has the most to gainThe milkman then will whistle
as light invades the drizzle
and you try to curl yourself into a ball
all sounds contained in silence
and light in darkness piling
and you you are the morning after allYou lie awake
hearing the prickle of the rain
and though you ache
you will not wait in vain
who feels the most
has the most to gain
© Fintan Lucy 2002