Philip Larkin
You were angry
And somewhat nuts
They clothed your frame
And fed your guts
Without them
There’s no Aubade
Your masterpiece
Denying God
You were revered
And somewhat famous
Though not as rich
As Kingsley Amis
They did their best
You drank your smell
It’s not their fault
You lived your hell
by Richard W. Bray
Nothin’ from nothin’ leaves nothin’
—Billy Preston
There ain’t a woman who can see
All the love inside of me
Stupid two-bit loser town
Bitches try to bring me down
I need a woman sweet and pure
I’ll find my truth inside of her
I spend my cash and act a clown
Bitches try to bring me down
A million things that I could be
If only she believed in me
I could drink until I drown
Bitches try to bring me down
by Richard W. Bray
took all the pennies
saving in my jar
daddy go bye bye in a car
mama say daddy
drinking in a bar
daddy go bye bye in a car
daddy took his things
and drove real far
daddy go bye bye in a car
daddy real mad
dont love us anymore
daddy go bye bye in a car
by Richard W. Bray
Funny how fallin’ feels like flyin’
for a little while
—Stephen Bruton and Gary Nicholson
didn’t know I was asleep
till I woke up in this cell
with my dirty draggled brain
and a brand-new coat of smell
had a special girl who loved me
she tried to get me well
I had happiness and comfort
till I blew it all to hell
I took a couple drinks
didn’t have a care
then I stepped right off a cliff
and tried to dance on air
the bottle is my sweetheart
we’re such a lovely pair
but she don’t love me when I wake up
with vomit in my hair
didn’t know I was asleep
till I woke up in this cell
with my dirty draggled brain
and a brand-new coat of smell
by Richard W. Bray
I chased annihilation
In a thousand roadside bars
Then I pulled myself together
And discovered who you are
Surprised to see me happy?
Disappointed I’m alive?
Were you quietly applauding
My inevitable demise?
A girl who never liked me
Said, “Hello” and wished me well
Disappointment in her voice said
“I’m amazed you’re not in hell”
Surprised to see me happy?
Disappointed I’m alive?
Were you quietly applauding
My inevitable demise?
Chastise and condemn
And tell yourself you’re blessed
I can only shrug:
I’m wishing everyone the best
Surprised to see me happy?
Disappointed I’m alive?
Were you quietly applauding
My inevitable demise?
by Richard W. Bray
I never made it home
To love you like I should
Got a long list of reasons
But none of ’em are good
I stopped to check the score
I had money on the game
I was headed out the door
When my appetizers came
I was feeling kinda lucky
My dice were getting hot
Some dude from Kentucky
Was lining up the shots
I was scared I’d miss something
I was totally right
It was the same old nothing
That I’m doing every night
I started painting red
Didn’t know when to stop
Got punched in the head
When I spit on a cop
So I’ll spend another night
In this stinky old cell
I never did you right
But I always meant well
I never made it home
To love you like I should
Got a long list of reasons
But none of ’em are good
by Richard W. Bray
In this godforsaken bar
Where all the dregs and outcasts are
I see the saddest drunks
I archive every punk-ass punk
Who’s lowlier than me
Amongst my nightly company
Perching on a barstool
Providing my narration
I’m the champion of ridicule
Dispensing defamation
For a smattering of fools
Inside my favorite location
Laughing at these losers,
These sorry woeful boozers
Is my greatest joy in life–
Once I had the perfect wife
But since she let me be
The laughs are all on me
Perching on a barstool
Providing my narration
I’m the champion of ridicule
Dispensing defamation
For a smattering of fools
Inside my favorite location
by Richard W. Bray
Cigarettes and alcohol and rage
Propel your injured soul
From day to day
It works until it doesn’t
And suddenly you’re old
It works until it doesn’t
Till the center cannot hold
Your back-stabs and your lies
Spur you till you slip
On the blood you left behind
It works until it doesn’t
All the stories that you told
It works until it doesn’t
Till the center cannot hold
Calm won’t still the storm
Surrounded by dysfunction
Deception kept you warm
It works until it doesn’t
And you can’t keep out the cold
It works until it doesn’t
Till the center cannot hold
by Richard W. Bray
Didn’t mean to disappoint you
When I put the bottle down
Hordes of losers livin’
Just to watch each other drown
Didn’t mean to disappoint you
When I put the bottle down
Now it makes y’all self-conscious
Just having me around
Didn’t mean to disappoint you
When I put the bottle down
I ain’t got a lot of interest
In the stinky side of town
Didn’t mean to disappoint you
When I put the bottle down
You can look inside a mirror
If you need another clown
Didn’t mean to disappoint you
When I put the bottle down
But I sure as hell ain’t sorry
For the daylight that I found
by Richard W. Bray
There’s no one here to carry on
If I stay out the whole night long
Or give a tinker’s damn if I don’t call
I’m livin’ like I wanted to
And doin’ things I wanna do
And nothin’ means a thing to me at all
—Kris Kristofferson, From the Bottle to the Bottom
I had a boring, stupid life
I had some kids; I had a wife
I had fuss; I had complain
I had a big ole ball and chain
Now the boys and me
We can all stay out till three
Cuz I’m free to be
The man I wanna be
Can’t be stuck at home at night
I got to roam; I got to fight
I need those dirty city lights
And all those wicked wet delights
Gonna burn the sheets
With every gal I see
Cuz I’m free to be
The man I wanna be
Now I’m stuck in this motel
Guess my plans didn’t go so well
Found lots of hurt and lots of smell
On my one way trip to hell
I got whiskey and tv
In a room that smells like pee
But I’m free to be
The man I wanna be
by Richard W. Bray
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