the man could swing a great yarn
I’d give him my time tho’ he had none for my friends
or the others in that now long closed bar
& when the money was gone
he could sit there silent forever
I’d send a beer over
nod touch of the head was all I got
but man I could piss him off
sit still! he’d shout stop shaking the world
listen son there are things will come to you
you can run now walk fast take on grown men
but let me tell you none of that lasts
there will come a time getting out of the tub
walking to get the paper just sitting watching the box
will cause pain you’ve never seen the like
there will be aches in joints ice along your bones
your arms legs guts head won’t do whatever you want
you need to ask what they did once speed of light
& everything you do now will bring that in
think of that when you hit the blacktop riding your bike
get in another fist fight close of the bar night
push yourself too far burning up the world
what I’m telling you will come to you
I looked in his eyes he was telling no lies
but i knew he knew there’d be no telling
this young man full of energy fighting the world
much like him once