half-awake, rushing through the day
with these blinders on, when my mind’s half gone, & it’s
no mistake that I end up this way,
lost the trail again, almost missed my old friend
+++ Shakespeare selling roses in a restaurant,
+++ with eyes so lively, with a face so gaunt
+++ everyone I miss comes back to haunt me,
+++ and I’m just half-awake…

half-asleep, & I’m falling down the street
watch my shoes again, plants fight through the sidewalk cracks,
if I find the change, I’ll buy a Post-Gazette,
lean against a fence, scan the local headlines,
+++ someone shot Saint Francis outside Eat-‘n-Park
+++ and Claire was found there weeping… in the dark
+++ shadow’s circling like a school of sharks,
+++ & we’re all half-asleep…

there’s a dirty old church with a brand new marble wheelchair ramp
and the old stone’s caked with smoke and sin,
still that ramp will let the angels in,
& in a pinch, you’ll shine as bright as all of them
try as often as we will to hide that city on a hill where
+++ Shakespeare’s selling roses in a restaurant,
+++ with eyes so lively, with a face so gaunt
+++ everyone I love comes back to haunt me,
+++ and I’m just half-awake…