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By Kellyanne Lynch NOTE: What makes this MB20 related is that the traveller that I meet in part four (Consolation) is actually Rob Thomas. That portion of the poem was inspired by the thought, 'What if I had met Rob years ago, when he was hitchhiking across the south east? Would I have given him a ride?' Of course, I wasn't legally old enough to drive at the time, and I was living up north. But still, it's a thought that I find interesting. 1. The draw of escaping Wanting to escape their parade of stupidity Striving to break from the ignorance of those who won't learn Desiring to loose the wings they've bound 'Cause they don't think she's ready 2. Flight Three months shy of graduating With honours But to honour what? neglect of friends? abandonment of self? She took her keys and left Slid into her car the agony of existence weighing her the cushion so generously fine With her keys She left the place she knew Had to be something better Had to be a life she wouldn't be ashamed to own 3. Tampa Town On the road to Tampa Town To the place she'd never seen 'til it was miles behind On the road to Tampa Town Where she's left her soul But when she got there She only found a sour past spoiled in neglected years She grabbed her keys again and fled 4. Consolation 75 consoled her with its open roads Others rushed in who sook its solitude those who forsook others like herself Three miles from the welcome centre to her personal hell She caught the reflection of a being in the headlights She wouldn't let him see her taillights She'd shown too many these beacons of hatred He hadn't a bag And hadn't a care of his destination Slumped beside her with a sigh rolled down a window and turned on the radio Static for miles Static but he endured She dared not touch the dial She dared not shut him off Hours wore on Her head against the steering wheel His head against the headrest Her eyes downward and open His upward and closed He was dreaming He dreamed a dream she'd never dreamed He dreamed a dream she'd never dream Clouds above them burst Rain poured into the car Streamed down the stranger's face and washed him He opened his eyes and smiled The static cleared They were baptised clean to be redeemed 5. Malleable and Red But what will repentance bring? Another Tampa Town Just under a new name 500 miles away A town you've made Shaped with the same raw material with the same you You mold the clay in many ways but it's still only clay How can you incarnate? You're left to admire your handiwork at how pretty it looks If you don't become enamoured, you see past its lustre You see it's pasty dirt Malleable and red 6. Future tense Tomorrow you'll wear a tie When yesterday you wore a trench coat You hide today But, tomorrow, You must hang How can I say I'm strong when I can't stop laughing? How can I return to accepting "honours"? How can I smile at another "acceptance" when I die the more I do? 7. Nosoto Siren I hear the siren's cry But my head is reeling I've got this burning in my trachea where passion singed my soul When I cried for help but no one heard I'll just lie here For flames will flames consume Not like life'll resume without this meltdown So melt me down See what I'm made of It's just a lump of dirt and junk Glued together with hope and false securities of what I once believed Let the glue break down Let the trash come tumbling down If my hide begins to burn I might get up and leave But, for now, let the siren cry in vein Even though Nosoto Siren once eased pain 8. A Clone's Resentment Why are you here coming to my aid? You've been waiting for this From the time you sighted me you've slighted me You cracked me as a nut dished out my meat Hollowed me to fill me with your emptiness You've made me you There is no me I'm made in your image I mirror the fool 9. Shattered Mirror Sideswiped a city bus once In a rush to go my way That day has passed, the culprit free But what is left of me? Shattered glass Shattered glass Each piece reflects a different self A different part of me I look into my rearview And what I see is the mess I've made of me Shattered glass Shattered glass Just cut me with your jagged truth Let me bleed out filthiness Then let me alone 10. Consummation by Consumption Now that I'm worthless just let me burn Branches hewn and dead kindle fires well Let this fire burn Let this failing world burn to dust Melt down Melt down that wretched glue And throw its remnants to the wind Let the soothing breeze sooth with its rush of fury As it clears us of mistakes like me like you It's time that we MELT DOWN Epilogue: Poetry The inspiration Of desperation Of utter defeat A cry against deceit I'm broke But look what I wrote Look what I made Now that I've begun to fade - 9/22/00 |