Tilt

One laydown machine
Burned a road
Right through the prairie
Stream of boiling ash
Painted up with perfect lines
Discount labor packing
Each lane
Bargain basement homes
Sewn to the road
Slipshod directions
Do not explain

I got these shoes for nothing
And they have lasted me forever
Searching up and down the lost highway

I can read the grid
I have memorized the key
Counting every inch


From C-4 to J-3
I can think in scale
'Cause I know it ain't
On my map
Scraping off the typeset
Dig into the atlas

Well they can paint it up
Make it appear to go somewhere
Well they can paint it up
But I know where it doesn't lead

addiction, but when you finally did you didn't skip a beat, or alter =
your inflection. Where do you live? You change your home so fast, I got =
you penciled in and then you're gone, your hand is out but I've got =
nothing left to give you, except perhaps some words to get you through =
this. I'm sick of enabling you and you can sense it, you glance around =
as if for the cops, whatever you've stolen I won't fence it, you know =


you're nothing without your props.
Submitted by: Mel

Got an animated corpse at my beck and call
You will find my skin cells underneath his fingernails
Carpet fibers from my car covering his coat
And clinging to his follicles
Every day we meet plot fourteen
And he hops in the front in the seat next to me
He can't wait till I tell him what I need
Then he nod a rotting head and then I set him free

Oh you should see him in this revelry tonight
He'll spread a pestilence across the land
Oh you should see him yea
He's looking hella fine
His eyeholes cannot cry
Oh he's my...

Animated corpse rapping at the back
Clawing at the window peeking in on tiptoe


Eager to deliver and it makes me laugh
So I make him wait it'll make a funny anecdote
Every night at ten he shows up again
Hiding 'em behind his back I pick a bony hand
I pat him on the head and I kiss him on the cheek
Then I pack him in the trunk back to plot fourteen

Oh you should see him in his revelry tonight
He'll spread a pestilence across the land
Oh you should see him yeah
He's looking hella fine
Oh he's a filthy slime
(Oh he's attracting flies)
And he's mine

Annie exhibited incredible abilities
At a very tender age
Her mother's edict "It's a liability and
you must do as I say"
Annie was curious
Annie was sensuous
And she had an imagination
But under Victoria they called that dementia and
So they locked her... locked her away

She rustles down the hallway buttons corset bustle binding
They bound her to the bedposts and they shut her up with ether
She rustles down the hallway buttons corset bustle binding
She'll haunt this house forever her laughter's a reminder

Annie was taken out to the outskirts of town


Said "You are hysterical"
Her doctor's orders "Tie her up and calm her down,
Oh you know she isn't too well"
My dear you're delirious
My dear you're lascivious
And now we will commence to treat you
Laudanum sedating you
Bromide placating you
So they drugged her locked her away

I guess sometimes I'm lucky when I go, for whole days at a time without =
thinking about you, and ask myself why, but then I find I'm traveling, =
traveling down, that same old piece of road and wind up down by the =
water. Whatever happened to our walls on the pier? I cry myself alone =
all the way down to the end, I drink my bottle dry and heave it across =
the bay, to the city, smashin' outside your door. Oh now there goes the =
Romeo, hand in hand with his punk rock Juliet, they remind me of two =
people I'm trying to forget, I can hear their sweet nothings on the =
wind, as I hurry to get by, diverting my gaze, to the Oakland Bay =
Bridge. (Could that be you honey, way over on that side? Flashin' a =


signal to me, down by Pier 39, 'cause if I only knew, I'd jump in that =
water and swim right across, drowning in my relief). Maybe I should warn =
them, should I say, "Don't do something that you'll regret. Now you have =
no recollection of heartbreak you don't have yet." I could give them an =
earful, but I don't know, they must find out on their own, and the =
thought of that is chilling me to the bone.
Submitted by: Mel

I guess sometimes I'm lucky when I go, for whole days at a time without =
thinking about you, and ask myself why, but then I find I'm traveling, =
traveling down, that same old piece of road and wind up down by the =
water. Whatever happened to our walls on the pier? I cry myself alone =
all the way down to the end, I drink my bottle dry and heave it across =
the bay, to the city, smashin' outside your door. Oh now there goes the =
Romeo, hand in hand with his punk rock Juliet, they remind me of two =
people I'm trying to forget, I can hear their sweet nothings on the =
wind, as I hurry to get by, diverting my gaze, to the Oakland Bay =
Bridge. (Could that be you honey, way over on that side? Flashin' a =


signal to me, down by Pier 39, 'cause if I only knew, I'd jump in that =
water and swim right across, drowning in my relief). Maybe I should warn =
them, should I say, "Don't do something that you'll regret. Now you have =
no recollection of heartbreak you don't have yet." I could give them an =
earful, but I don't know, they must find out on their own, and the =
thought of that is chilling me to the bone.
Submitted by: Mel

Please get in the car now, off the embankment, orange from the halogen , =
you look like a lunatic, not allowed to stop here, you provoke the =
barbed wire, trespass onto the corporate land, lynching what time we =
have left. I can see you from here, let me come across, we're lost upon =
the shoulder I never was your atlas, tempted off the pavement what can =
you accomplish? I can see you from here you're stalking down your anger, =


rows of newly broken earth trip up your urban stagger.
Submitted by: Mel

Please get in the car now, off the embankment, orange from the halogen , =
you look like a lunatic, not allowed to stop here, you provoke the =
barbed wire, trespass onto the corporate land, lynching what time we =
have left. I can see you from here, let me come across, we're lost upon =
the shoulder I never was your atlas, tempted off the pavement what can =
you accomplish? I can see you from here you're stalking down your anger, =


rows of newly broken earth trip up your urban stagger.
Submitted by: Mel

I'm an honest woman, a representation of the state of mutual confusion =
within the confines of love, heavy lidded darling embedding in my arms, =
I'll take a kiss to settle payment like a song for the gods. Does your =
undying devotion only last 'til I'm out the door? Can I keep my fingers =
away from a sore? Does your undying devotion only last 'til I'm out the =
door? I can't keep my fingers away from a sore. Happy to include you in =
my esapes, we're the first to intrude and the last ones to leave, never =
assume that we came with someone that you know, we'll go through every =
drawer, and throw the contents to the wind. Am I risking complicity? =


Right here, right where I want to be? Is this absurdity? To trust you so =
implicitly, losing my complacency, you would be the end of me, oh well =
well you're well worth it, I've never got the nerve to do it, happy to =
include you.
Submitted by: Mel

I could show you, do you want me to show you? Call it a day or you can =
pay my way, gonna cry 'til I'm all cried out, I could show you, I could =
easily show you. You may say I live on easy street, you can think =
anything you want to think, come by some time my door is open to you, =
where I can show you how easy I am. Everyone knows I'd sell my sister =
for cigarettes, why shouldn't I? She'd do the same to me, we could show =
you, we could easily show you, if you only knew you wouldn't be so =


upset, what if she's in league with me? We can show you, we can easily =
show you.
Submitted by: Mel

Dead, or is he dying? Was he mugged? Or did he quit trying? Regardless =
of the reason, we gotta move him. See, he blocks the car in, we should =
leave a messanger to find him, as we speak the traffic thickens like a =
virus. Dead bum, dead bum, just another dead bum, dead bum, dead bum, =
Did I catch you at a bad time? You should know my voice by now, I've =
got further instructions I don't know what you'll do without. I've got a =


job to do here, and I need a clear head, you don't want to get me mad =
dear, no use in calling the feds.
Submitted by: Mel

Dead, or is he dying? Was he mugged? Or did he quit trying? Regardless =
of the reason, we gotta move him. See, he blocks the car in, we should =
leave a messanger to find him, as we speak the traffic thickens like a =
virus. Dead bum, dead bum, just another dead bum, dead bum, dead bum, =
Did I catch you at a bad time? You should know my voice by now, I've =
got further instructions I don't know what you'll do without. I've got a =


job to do here, and I need a clear head, you don't want to get me mad =
dear, no use in calling the feds.
Submitted by: Mel

No my darling have no fear, I'll see you by and by, I trust in my =
commander and my brothers in arms, the chaplain reassures us, that god =
is on our side, and I will write to you every day, I will keep you =
informed. Dear wife-I can feel your arms about my neck, life like-the =
image of you crying at the gate. Dear wife-your photo is a sheild over =
my heart. My life-depends upon the memory of your face. We landed on the =
shore today, no enemy in sight, we are strong and confident that our =
training is complete, we set up camp and cleaned our guns and sang away =
the night, and yours by far the loveliest of all the pictures seen. I =
can barely write today now things have gone awry, a man who was a friend =
to me is dead and many more, I had to do a dreadful thing to make it =
back alive, why am I the only one to send back into war? So tell me dear =
the color of your eyes, I cannot remember the glimmer of your hair, you =


were a guiding light emblazoned on my mind, but death has led me far =
away and I don't seem to care. Dear god I am betrayed today, my brothers =
are insane, our leaders have abandoned us and turned us loose to kill, =
they behave like animals and I behave the same, why should I try to =
survive when I don't have the will? Dear wife the tempo of my death is =
beating down, why hide? Relief awaits me I cannot escape, dear wife-your =
photo is a dead thing to me now, my life-is wasted like the memory of =
your face.
Submitted by: Mel

Dirt yard chain link, mean dog full sink, TV stuck on loud, tank top =
shit kick, big lug dimwit, by the quarter pound. Acne mustache hard up =
heat stench, he's a dental wreck, plasma payday, dumbass raybands, short =
hair long in back, involuntary response, hand to mouth, hand to crotch, =
keep your mouth shut for once! Hand to mouth, hand to crotch. Routine =
cop call, busted window, what a fuckin' man, bad day bad fall, Bud Lite =


widow, in the fuckin' can. Rap sheet longer than a convoy, =
methamphetamine, voilent fucker, predatory, sick and drunk and mean!
Submitted by: Mel

lulling me to sleep
the bloom of blood
filling the tub
granting me release

the water is warm
the water is warm
lulling me to sleep
the bloom of blood
filling the tub
granting me release

i can't be you mother
i am way to young
i wish i were older
i could give you love
now i must take my chances
try an outdated technique
oh god the pain advances
i am feeling weak

the water is warm
the water is warm


lulling me to sleep
the bloom of blood
filling the tub
granting me release

the water is warm
the water is warm
lulling me to sleep
the bloom of blood
filling the tub
granting me release

i see my reflection
in my goodnight bath
i can here the raven
nevermore i gasp
i could not ask for a doctor
without parental consent
unsterile length of a wire
brought us to the end

The harder I struggle, the tighter you grip, but don't need to tell you, =
that's the way I want it, I'm easy to follow, you're easy to spot, I bet =
I can shake you off, but I gotta want it. What good are the times that I =
catch you alone? It took eternity and I forgot what I wanted, what good =
are the times that I take you to task? You get me distracted and I =
forget that I'm mad. I'm up on the counter, you're down on the floor, =
the kitchen is dirty, pots and pans are flying, no food in the cupboard, =
a knock on the door, let's give it a rest now, buy a beer at the corner =
store. I'm going to bed now dear but you still want more, and every =


single word you say I've heard before, oh, you're an angel when you're =
in recline, and like an anxious fist my lullabye works fine. Lullabye =
and goodnight, ain't that a great song? You're an angel in recline, =
please go to bed dear, please go to bed dear, please.
Submitted by: Mel

You can hear the sound of each little town, 'cause they all sing, every =
mile a town pops up, full of pride for this country, and now a shroud =
appears on the horizon, wish I could blink and miss this one as well. =
What could be worse? What could be further from home? Dumb little world, =
dizzy & spitting up blood. Can't live here there's nothing I recognize, =
I keep looking, reference points are hard to find when each home looks =
just the same, but I can hear the anthem playing, that sound will drive =


me further away. I won't buy into it, this bad deal, not so much as a =
dime for my homeland, this place is so wrapped up in itself, playing the =
theme song to my expatriaton.
Submitted by: Mel

Standing in a crater in my leaden shoes, I am held there by more than =
gravity, she's been hit so many times with heavenly abuse, quite a =
history of catastrophe, but the footprints on her face are merely made =
by man, she's is shining despite the rough terrain, I think she picks =
her teeth with the staff of a flag, she plucked from her cheek with =
playful disdain. Glowing survivor, gorgeous in orbit, throwing a =
spotlight over the chasm, glowing survivor, gorgeous in orbit, casting =
her shadow, over the sea (heavens' at end)...Geologic samples held up to =
the light, teach very little of her life, astronomers deny what they can =


divine, by merely gazing up into her eyes, every lunar cycle she begins =
a new, not afraid to show herself in full, the man is a myth, lovers =
share a view, all god's howling dogs to her are dutiful. If you come at =
nightfall, you can see all her magnitude, her tidal tears have fallen, =
reflective of the sun, bearning her gratitude.
Submitted by: Mel

I am hopped up on sugar, the plot is over simplified and tied up very =
neatly, the enemy is black and white, and I believe completely. I am the =
hero marauder, I kill as easily as blink. I fuck like Zeus, I fit right =
inside his shoes, projecting myself onto the screen. Glued myself to my =
movie seat with sticky melted candy, I forked over my admission price, =
I've got my soda handy, I kick the chair ahead of mine and scream at =
each explosion, my pitiful life is shoved aside, I'm blinded by emotion! =


Emerging from the exit, I'm relieved of my suspicion purged of all my =
questioning and emptied of conviction. I'm a terminator with a =
superhuman torso a great obliterator with savage manifesto.
Submitted by: Mel

Hold a beverage and a ruined reflection, underestimated my trajection, a =
single pane is all that separates us, thank goodness that the glass is =
gracious. How can this shattered vessel hold up under such close =
scrutiny, cruel light is cracking every mirror that ever flattened my =
variety. I'm the fairest in a land of fragments, target window stained =
with time's advancement, I'll hold the note so high, or tie it to a =
brick and let it fly. You set up a brand new sheet of see through, a =


double thickness will just break twice, cold air rushing in, through the =
fracture we saw the flaw in the glare.
Submitted by: Mel

stopped again, thought I recognized it, hear that? There it goes right =
now, like a whisper I'm imagining, but now it's screaming... inside my =
head. Can you hear it? Can you hear it? Ignorance personified. Can you =
hear it? Can you hear it? You try to bite your words, but they keep =
forming in your mouth, and they are libelous hottly popping out, I am =
beyond hte cutting range of your dull mind and jagged tongue, and this =
you cannot stand. You cannot stand. Can you hear it? Can you hear it? =
Ignorance personified. Can you hear it? Can you hear it now? You better =


listen to yourself, can you hear it? Can you hear it now? Follow me all =
the way home, but you haven't got the guts to come in too close, follow =
me all the way home, you just want a chance to show how little you =
really know
Submitted by: Mel

I got tired of the same old face, so I quit looking in the mirror, such =
a sight, here's a brand new girl with eyes that are clearer, the older =
model never saw things quite right. Lips tits hips, right down to the =
fingertips, ten shades of beautiful for every disorder, lips tits hips, =
right down to the fingertips, just a hint of my misfortune. My make-over =
commence, candy coated lips can coach me right along, no mess, no fuss, =
prefectly natch, I hope I learn what makes me look at things all wrong. =


I'd say she was a man's girls, translucent with a bit of shine, I'd say =
she's a bad idea, conditions as it deadens your mind.
Submitted by: Mel

Loyalty wavering like heat above the hood
All the cooling fluids escaping into pools
I'm sucking in vaporized lives but i feel no effect
And now my cells are altered adapted to neglect
I'm killing myself somehow to stay awake
I'm not particular who i entertain
I'm not concerned with the spectacle i make

I'm preparing to make a big break
Paring down the list of things to take
What i leave behind i leave to fate


Im preparing to vamoose
Beefing up the list of shit to lose
I've got words i'm not afraid to lose

A pretty bride of India is burned with kerosene her husband keeps her =
dowry and his freedom is achieved, a burnese girl in Bangkok is of value =
for her skin, solid for her complexiion, never saw her home again. The =
minister of culture, he argues so well, his teeth are flashing as he =
details, a legacy of murder, a heritage of rape, a time honored =
tradition to maim and mutilate. Cut away her labia with dirty broken =
glass, she died of obstruction prainfully infected mass, a dress code =
violation is an outrage in Iran, splashed her face with acid only them =
the fun began. She wasn't good enough, a female child left face down =
packed in the snow, umbilical cord around her tiny feet, she suffers and =


dies alone. A woman in a western home is under house arrest, a drunkard =
is her jailer he's entitled to molest, her daughter is passed over when =
she tries to raise her hand, the likeliness of her success is not an =
even chance. The minister of culture, he's wringing his hands, he keeps =
on laughing as he demands- "No human right applies her, our women will =
agree, our property has spoken no cause to intervine."
Submitted by: Mel

Not exactly in the lap of luxury, you were not quite of blue blood, but =
you know you went to bed with a belly full of supper, you were safe as a =
bug in a rug, you were swaddled and jolly Molly Coddled, like a dolly =
and your mommy maybe gave a little shrug when you threw a temper tantrum =
for another piece of something that other kids only dream of. Baby face, =
baby face, looking for a season in hell, baby face, baby face, I hope =
you learn your lesson well. Now you've chosen poverty, you did it for =
the sake of being hip, begging for a dollar never doubling for a moment =


your bohemian indigence, and you wonder why the folks in your run down =
neighbourhood don't recognize you as a kindred soul, 'cause you gotta =
bed in a sunny sub-division any time you wanna run home.
Submitted by: Mel

I'm not going anywhere; I have way too much to lose
Even though I'm killing myself,
It's no indication I won't come through
Don't go making plans to fill my absence
Even though I've been gone too long
I can stamp my foot and split in two
But I'll be whole before the dawn.

Say I've been to hell and back
Well you got it wrong, I never did return
Lay my head on the chopping block and
I'll hand you the hatchet.

Strewn again from limb to limb
A slap and a tickle and a hand in the till
Between extremes is mighty grim
I'll be free in a minute of my free will
Two on a bed gone round the bed
I laugh and writhe the more I try
My mind fell apart for you to mend
I sing to you and you reply.

Say I've been to hell and back
Well you got it wrong, I never did return


Lay my head on the chopping block and
I'll hand you the hatchet.

Soon as my head hit the pillow
He took it as his cue to shake me back awake
Could have killed him bout a couple of times
By laying in wait and tearing down the drapes
If I stomp hard enough
He'll slip in the soap and
I'll wave good-bye as he's circling the drain.

I'm not going anywhere, I have way too much to lose
Even though I'm killing myself,
It's no indication I won't come through
Don't go making plans to fill my absence
Even though I've been gone too long
I could stamp my foot and split in two
But I'll be whole before the dawn.

Liquor store, liquor store one on every corner, checks cashed any time =
NO I.D. Liquor store, liquor store, malt liquor cigarettes lottery. The =
car is running and kicking out funes, you've disappeared inside to buy =
the daily quota, I'm fending for myself to a popular tune, digging in =
the ashtray, hoping for a quarter. Mile on mile of transient hotels, =
unattended children with nowhere to play, anger rips down pine street in =
the form of a black chevelle, but the baptists keep singin' away. One =


lone palm tree is rising above it's glamour and dignity are so out of =
place an ancient pick up truck is looking for a shove, the congregation =
sings, amazing grace!
Submitted by: Mel

Shaken baby sucking on the festive decoration, turning patriotic colors =
to a purple stain, dribbling down his belly he's the hope of =
generations, the measure of the damage we have yet to ascertain. Mammoth =
head of paraffin of malleable nature, pounded with the platitudes =
admissible for use, pitiful and blundering , a mortifying creature, his =
neck is too weak to support the partial birth of truth. Misbegotten =
inconsolable, the fitting end result of his breed, misbegotten =
inconsolable, a product of stupidity and greed. Watch him as his dim =


eyes roll back into his head, see him struggling in his own filth to =
stand irretrievable and overfed, he reaches out with his desperate =
little hands.
Submitted by: Mel

Almost to the point where in the past I've given up, but this time =
something keeps on telling me I've got to go on, so now I will try to =
get the lead out of my blood and lose the paralyzing lies, that shower =
from above. I must strengthen my constitution, I must gather my resolve, =
I've got to muster every ounce of my resistance. Self inflicted doom has =
left me open and exposed, to every sickness, every fallacy that's going =
around, I will not succumb to the belief that others hold that there is =


no defense against infection, as I've been told. We're tolerant to the =
wrongs, dealt out with regularity, our toxic level is drawn from sheer =
lack of humanity.
Submitted by: Mel