Stan Rogers Follow

I took up my pen tonight. I couldn't seem to write.
It's like I got religion and then I lost the light
An old woman once told me she'd always felt that way...
She said "Taken from the mold when it can still run
A candle might not keep you from the cold
But buy another candle, son, it's not too much to pay
For one more try." And I had to smile
Before I walked away.

Coffee houses bother me. I cannot tell you why.
But, it never seems "hello" sounds as sweet as "goodbye".
And the waitresses, in passing, remember all your names...
They say "Look around and try to meet a single eye".
And "empty cups will mock me if I stay, but
Buy another coffee, Stan, it's not too much to pay.
And we will try to raise your smile
Before you walk away.

Tonight in a room full of candles another cup of ashes drains away
And, at times, it gets so hard to handle
Knowing one more song has swiftly taken wing
And I'm left alone to hear the song a lonely candle sings.

The priest, I found, was nervous. He cleared his throat a lot.
But, framed in stained glass windows, his eyes were lost in thought.
And I said "Father, can you tell me...is some happiness my right?"
He said "Rather seek you joy, the blessings of your God,
And happiness from worship in his sight.
And buy another candle son, before you start to pray
And don't forget to cross your breast
Before you walk away.

Tonight, in a room full of candles, another cup of madness drains away.
And at times it gets so hard to handle
Knowing one more simple song has swiftly taken wing.
And I'm left alone to hear the song a lonely candle sings.

One too many cigarettes, slowly burning down
And the final cup of coffee was cold and full of grounds
And maybe one last pipeful might send the words around
Still, underneath my hand this night has slipped away
And it leaves me as empty as this page
One more candle flickers out, the night.

prose
leaving dark husks with the soul gone
she felt as if they had travelled together silent as electricity
from this rim of peace that took them past trees and forestsand unknown paths
their spirit shining as a light...one torch of being
time is of no importance for it expands to become you
there peace lay in the mixing of water from one icy stream to another
until a river flowed past them and through them
for they had no bodies..only their divisible selves not segregated
this unity once found is never forgotten
it lies like stones in the river bed washed by water purified and sanctified
without priest or church blessed and baptised from within
where all love is....a sacrifice of ourselves