entropy — volume one

Do you know The legend of the crossroads? Two highways, forty-nine and sixty-one One goes to Arkansas One goes to New Orleans This crossroads is where A man is said to have Sold his soul in order To master his instrument He sang the blues I came to this place When I was forty-nine And have lingered at The crossroads For three years now I'm setting up house here Planting a garden I believe in the devil, but I follow the Son Who redeemed my soul I've been to New Orleans I've been to Arkansas Both have pieces of my life So I've come to the crossroads Backtracked to this intersection In the heart of the Delta I found my way I found my way without you The one to whom I gave my heart And I will settle in Like I was told In my favorite book, A satire— No surprise there I will tend my own garden Master my instrument Stop wearing out my shoes Looking for something On lonely roads Wait for the devil Wait for the Son Watching and waiting See who wanders on down the highway See who else Has holes in their shoes

Pulled from the earth Formed Two legs two arms two eyes What is a man But sculpted clay? And then the Spirit comes Animates Heart and soul and mind Sets a man on his feet And says "Live." This sculpted clay Living statue Pounds down the earth With his clay feet Trodding heavily on that which He came from, no regard No regard Not thinking to step lightly Not thinking his heavy footsteps Are felt Are felt, every one While heart and soul and mind Struggle with self-awareness Identity and purpose Careening madly, Animated corpse, Ricochet, reaction No set course. And so it goes. Pulled from his side, set at his side The mirror, the counterpart Complementary piece Reflecting iniquity In beauty and sorrow Joy and passion Saying here too, Here too Step here, you clay-footed fool We are here to Tread lightly We are here to Transmute clay To join back into each other Sink back into the earth.

I don't know if I have valor But I do have bread And a bread box And a bread knife And a cutting board And a toaster And butter I even have honey If I want something sweet