Runts

I get so restless I feel trapped inside my body Wont someone reach in and rescue me? I can't settle down, settle down, settle down It's not the meds, it's not the dread of decomposing I can't help this feeling I'm floating But anchored down to the ground, To my bones, to my own mortal address I watch the kids walk home from school I wonder, have I ever been that small? Been the last one picked for kickball Against a chainlink fence, Waiting on a world that won't make amends. There's so much family staking claims upon the future Son, become a father, a professor Time to settle down, settle down, settle down My brains on fire, every branch of though is burning Every loose leaf memory has turned on me Crackling and signed, floating on the wind, Grey plumes of debris If you would only cut the cord I wonder what my grandfather would think? Fifty years, sweating for his family He knew how to settle down Three worried weeks, and no, a positive pink plus sign Aw, fuck my life, she said, Poppin' half a Xanax with a little wine She can't settle down, settle down, And if he can't she can't think about that now She lights the long stemmed candles, She sets out the nice linen He hums some old Christmas tune, chopping an onion She runs it through her head, yet again, What she'll say and how he'll take it all in Fishing a cigarette butt from the front porch ashtray Bracing his right hand so it won't shake He can't settle down, settle down, Cause he knows he never really will anyway But they're all right, all the same I mean, more or less, we all turn out just fine Even the weakest of us runts will survive And even settle down, settle down With little runts of our own If we could settle down, Settle down with little runts of our own --- Runts - Tim Kasher