The Wheels on the Bus

A sort of form poem...

Day 3, March 3, 2005.

 

Used, like buttons on a pay phone,

Johnny’s fingers

Lamented in ice.

 

Warm Jameson whiskey neat placates

The burning

In him.

 

New and used lyrics cycle 

Redundantly

In his soul

 

Like white lines on

A black

Road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 1, August, 1 2004.

 

Bruce might call this

Independence Day,

 

But there will be no fire works

To wish Johnny well.

 

He’s a few scarred bars

From the big time.

 

And one roll away from a

Strong dime.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 2, Christmas, 2004

 

“Run, Run, Rudolph” was in the set tonight.

 

“Praise to God” He said, “Every one enjoy your life,

 

Because you might not see us again

 

So make the best of the rest

 

Of your night...

 

Merry Christmas…”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 4, July 6, 2005 (Johnny’s Birthday)

 

Every crevice of the bus’s seat lining

Reeked of sweat, and Jack Daniels.

 

Johnny’s thoughts meandered slowly

Across the ocean of his mind.

 

As the roadside passed by him,

At 62.3 miles pre hour.

 

Gazing obliviously out the window, he

Shared his secrets with the guitar in his hand.

 

 

The A string dug deep

Ridges into the maple neck of Johnny’s black

 

Stratocaster. And the little e string

Dangled patiently, waiting to be replaced.

 

The crazy glue that coated his fingers

Bound him to the road,

 

And the heroin that lined his veins

Helped him remember the solo for “Dry Cold.”

 

 

The incomplete pieces of the star’s

Next record lay scribbled on the floor.

 

Vacant memories; revised and rescored

To play for audiences who just beg and beg for more.

 

The dates were replaced

By the zeros on the checks they cashed.

 

And each hour played a different note

Till half a day had passed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 5, December 16, 2005 (Closing Night)

 

Tonight Johnny played an acoustic version of “Shooting Star”

And cried through the third verse.