Damp Walls But I Can Sleep Here

Damp walls but I can sleep here
There’s a fire in the mine – just down the road
Lydia is waiting there for her husband to appear
I wanted her – since high school – maybe now
I dream of her, if she only knew
It’s a struggle to live on little of anything
I’m not the working kind – the bosses, they fall out with me
I don’t take to routines – consistency
If only I could get paid for watching people
More sirens, more crying and screaming
Coming this way, she’s coming this way
Lydia in the arms of her mother
I wave, she sees me but walks on, staggers on
I keep waving – in the hopes that …
I settle into some sleep on the mattress
A blanket’s all I need and all I got
It must be around 5pm but I’m tired already
It was a long day finding this place
Tomorrow I’ll go see Lydia
Give her a chance to get over the mining disaster.     

Life Is Not Short

Life is not short
 

I have lived 46 years and
 

Felt every day of it
 

Many, many days
 

Each one significant
 

Each one had an impact
 

Each of them intimidated me.