The Swiss Army Romance


"Screaming Infidelities"



I'm missing your bed

I never sleep

Avoiding the spots where we'd have to speak,

And this bottle of beast

Is taking me home



I'm cuddling close

To blankets and sheets

But you're not alone, and you're not discreet

Make sure I know who's taking you home.



I'm reading your note over again

There's not a word that I comprehend,

Except when you signed it

"I will love you always and forever."



Well As for now I'm gonna hear the saddest songs

And sit alone and wonder

How you're making out

But as for me, I wish that I were anywhere with anyone

Making out.



I'm missing your laugh

How did it break?

And when did your eyes begin to look fake?

I hope you're as happy as you 're pretending.



I am alone

In my defeat I wish I knew you were safely at home



I'm missing your bed

I never sleep

Avoiding the spots where we'd have speak, and

This bottle of beast is taking me home.



Your hair, it's everywhere.

Screaming infidelities

And taking its wear.

[Repeat Four times]



"The Sharp Hint Of New Tears"



On the way home,

this car hears my confessions.

I think tonight I'll take the long way.

This weather.

The wind outside is biting.

It has left me feeling tired & exposed.

You've been asking me to bleed.

It seems these kinds of questions

come too easy to you now.

Your lack of shame comes naturally.

I should not be suprised.

I should have seen it sooner.



You expect me to apologize

for things that you've done wrong.

While you're inciting others.

You're owning up to nothing

and I wish that I was gone,

because you're not going anywhere.



This damp air

is fighting my defroster.

My sighs they ring victorious

& fog this tinted glass.

It's clouded

& so is my head.

The hint of these new tears are sharp.

I try to hold them back.

It's useless.

I am useless against them.

They are beating me with ease.



On the way home

this car hears my confessions.

I think tonight I'll take the long way.



"Living In Your Letters"



I'm always assuming the worst,

but you're going on none the less

& there's nothing to cusion your heart led fall.

Letters from further away

keep pulling me close to home.

And there's something to cushion my callous sighs.

And I know that you hope for 

longer good-byes

embracing for forever

and falling in your eyes.



Pouring over photographs.

I'm living in your letters.

Breathe deeply from this envelope

it smells like you & I can't be

without that scent. It's filling me

with all you mean to me.



Continually failing these trials

but you stand by me nonetheless

& you won't let me sink

though I'm beggin you.

Phone calls from further away

& messages on my machine,

but I don't ever tell you this distance

seems terrible.

There is no need to test my heart,

with useless space.

These roads go on forever

& so do you and I.



So I'll hit the pavement 

it's gotta be better than waiting

& pushing you far away

cause I'm scared.

So I'll take my chances

& head on my way up there.

Cause turning to you is like falling in love when you're ten.



"The Swiss Army Romance"



Sleep with all the lights on.

You're not so happy.

You're not secure.

You're dying to look cute in your blue jeans,

but you're plastic just like everyone.

You're just like everyone.

And that face you paint is pressed 

impressing most of us as permanent

and I'd like to see you undone.

College night will draw the crowds.

Dorms unload & your heading out.

Here is your moment to shine.



Making up a history.

It's nothing from the life you lead

but man, will they buy all your lines.



Sleep with all the sheets off

bearing your mattress

bearing your soul.

And you're dying to look smooth with your tattoos

but you're searching just like everyone

could be anyone.

And the friends that you have are the best

impressing most of us as permanent

and I'd like to see you undone.

Youth's the most unfaithful mistress.

Still we forge ahead to miss her.

Rushing our moment to shine.



Making up a history,

It's nothing from the life you lead

but man will they buy all your lines.



We're not twenty-one,

but the sooner we are,

the sooner the fun will begin,

so get out your fake eyelashes, 

and fake ideas,

& real disasters ensue,

it's cool to take these chances.

It's cool to fake romances

& grow up fast.



"Turpentine Chaser"



This paint has been tasting of lead

& their chips will fall as they may,

but it's not just my finish that is peeling,

& it is not alone fleeing these walls.



Well sooner of later this cold

it's gonna break

& our hands will be warm again,

but all I want is not to need you now.

And sooner or later this cold

it's gonna break

& our words will be heard again,

but all I want are vows of silence now.



This turpentine chaser's got kick

& the rag that it's soaked in is rich.

The fumes aide the pace of my cleaning

& as soon as I'm done I am gone.



The frightening facts

we've been facing our backs

for so long now

are begging for eyes

to bear witness to lies

& indifference.



Now we're saying aloud

the things we've declared in our silence.

The new coats of paint will not reaquaint

broken hearts to broken homes.



"A Plain Morning"



It is yet to be determined,

but the air is thick,

& my hope is feeling worn.

I'm missing home,

& I'm glad you're not a part of this,

there are parts of me that will be missed.

And the phone is always dead to me,

so I can't tell you the temperature is dropping

& it feels like



it is colder than it ought to be in March

& I still have a day or two ahead of me

till I'll be heading home,

into your arms again.

And the people here are asking after you.

It doesn't make it easier.

It doeasn't make it easier to be away.



I'd like to hire a plane.

I'd see you in the morning,

when the day is fresh.

I'm coming home again.

It's warmer where you're waiting.

It feels more like July.

There's pillows in their cases

& one of those is mine.

And you wrote the words I love you,

& sprayed it with perfume.

It is better than the fire is

to heat this lonely room.

It is warmer where you're waiting

It feels more like July.



"Age Six Racer"



So long sweet summer,

I stumbled upon you and gracefully basked in your rays.

So long sweet slumber.

I fell into you now you're gracefully falling away.



Hey thanks, thanks for that summer.

It is cold where your going

I hope that your heart is always warm.

I gave you the best that I had.

You pased on my letters

& passed on the best that I had.

I hate the winter in Lexington.



"Again I Go Unnoticed"



So quiet

another wasted night,

the television steals the conversation

exhale,

another wasted breath,

again it goes unnoticed.



Please tell me you're just feeling tired

cause if it's more than that I feeel that I might break

out of touch, out of time.

Please send me anything but signals that are mixed

casue I can't read your rolling eyes

out of touch, are we out of time?



Close lipped

another goodnight kiss

is robbed of all it's passion,

your grip

another time, is slack

it leaves me feeling empty.



I'll wait until tomorrow

maybe you'll feel better then

maybe we'll be better then

so what's another day

when I can't bear these nights of thoughts 

of going on without you

this mood of yours is temporary

it seems worth the wait

to see your smile again

out of the corner of your eye

wont be the only way you'll look at me then.



"Ender Will Save Us All"



It's just like you to contest

you wear it like a label on your breast

don't you see what this takes of me?

A certain callousness complies

with your charm & in your pride

a hopeful look draped in despise.



I want to give you

whatever you need.

What is it you need?

Is it what I need?

I want to give you

whatever you need.

What is is you need?

Is it within me?



It's hard to explain how I am getting by

on so little from you.

It's hard to believe that I would let myself

get so wrapped in you.

There's got to be something that would

be worthwhile for me to give to you.

We need a connection but you

seem to push me far away from you.



The harder I push the further I fall.

Well you don't mind me being headstrong.

But you don't want to sing along.

Maybe it's trite but I can always be wrong

Try not to be wrong.



"Shirts And Gloves"



When I'm back from the road 

and you're out on it

& I'm tired of this distance

& I believe it's over-rated.

And this phone tag game is endless

the novelty is wearing

I'm hoping time will pass

without any assistance

or convincing.



Road rules apply

there's so much action,

you're getting busy.

I'll call your cellular phone

to tell you TV night was

lonely without you

& so am I...so am I.



It seems our day keeps falling on a leap year.



So many high points on this last leg.

I can't wait to recount them

it seems like nothing's happened

until I've shared them with you.

The note that you had called

says youre half a day away

& you are heading home

just in time for me to leave.



Road rules apply

there's so much action

I'm getting busy.

So make sure that I'm up to date

on TV night,

I hate to miss out.



I think I miss you most

on Wednesdays & Saturdays.