Among the Leaves

A pillow lays on cold cement A blanket by a broken vent She's there a while And then she's gone I'm away for weeks Arrive at night She hears my steps Turns off the light and runs No mind at all, more space than I need It's just me among the weeds Among the ghosts Among the leaves We've never met but she's a girl Romance paper books The floor is covered In long blonde curls On afternoons I walk the graves The rusted cars, the mine shaft caves See a girl sadly unkempt A child of neglect Under moons I pass the tombs Cross the highways, smell the fumes See a girl frighteningly gaunt Somebody didn't want How do I tell her I don't care If she sleeps downstairs? I see her on my errand runs Looking nervous like a young Mia Farrow Walk along the gas stops Window browsing pawn shops Guns, bows and arrows Up on past the Halfway house Past the signs Eighty South Buttercup and Carrows Drinking Wild Irish Rose At the dead end of the road Sleeping with the sparrows When evening comes I play guitar For the planets and the stars I leave the porch light on Like I do when I'm gone Winter, spring, summer, fall Basement's yours, have a ball There's always room for you there Really baby I don't care