dem bones
© Kennedy James. All rights reserved.
dem bones
dem bones
dem dry bones
an' lawd have mercy
was a time
i been so glad that
all dem bones got connected
to all dem other bones
da knee bone to da thigh bone
da thigh bone to da hip bone
and da hip bone always a-jump-jivin'
like youse was pumpin'
for oil under the
Sacramoose Sands
pumpin' so hard
i could hear
the clickety-clack
of yer bones a-rattlin'
under my bones
in the manner of
shall we say
me gettin' right t-boned
in da ooh-la-la
of yer doo-da-da
oh yes baby
yes, i stills 'member
all those days & nites we spent 'gether
shuckin' along
an' shuckin' along
all the way
to paradise
with you screamin' for Jesus
and me just ever so quietly
hearing the word of the Lord
dem bones
dem bones
dem dry bones
was like sweet sugah
spooned over liquid honey
da way
you danced dem bones
'round the room
throwin' flesh to disregard
and sure as mornin' rain
i did loves the way
you strutted and staggered
right up to da day
you swung me over
in a sudden pas de deux
'n' disconnected my swollen luv bone
from alla yer slip 'n' slide bones
for what ya said was now
and for forever
leavin' me high 'n' dry
to drown
in the flood my blue despair
like youse didn't even care
just so smoothly pinning
my desire out dere
with the wash on the
backyard clothesline
my alone-bones waving in the wind
over all dem other bones
dem dry bones
in the fallowed graveyard
of all yer former lovers
who surely
like me
didn't 'pect to be
quite so suddenly
hearing the word of the Lord
dem bones
dem bones
dem dry bones
now i ain't one to harbour
no ill-will nor no sour-mash grudge
i ain't one to muster
up a batch of black tar
and feathers
to makes you a smouldering
winter coat of revenge
but, honey,
done wrong is done wrong
and so i guess
it only stands to reason
that a man played
is a man betrayed
and as pappy used to say
every circumstance has a
consequence
still it's no small matter
when my teeth still chatter
drivin' over the ruts of the Shushwap Levy
and i hears the cold hard clatter
of yer bones
dem bones
dem dried out bones
in the trunk o' my rusty ol' Chevy
i can't help but wonder if
while you was high-steppin'
thru death's door of disconnection
that oh-so-simple one-two-three
jitter-bug chugga-lug into eternity
y'all ever got the chance to
knows it was me
who gave you the nudge
and was sendin' ya on yer way to
hearing the word of the Lord
dem bones
dem dry bones
an' lawd have mercy
was a time
i been so glad that
all dem bones got connected
to all dem other bones
da knee bone to da thigh bone
da thigh bone to da hip bone
and da hip bone always a-jump-jivin'
like youse was pumpin'
for oil under the
Sacramoose Sands
pumpin' so hard
i could hear
the clickety-clack
of yer bones a-rattlin'
under my bones
in the manner of
shall we say
me gettin' right t-boned
in da ooh-la-la
of yer doo-da-da
oh yes baby
yes, i stills 'member
all those days & nites we spent 'gether
shuckin' along
an' shuckin' along
all the way
to paradise
with you screamin' for Jesus
and me just ever so quietly
hearing the word of the Lord
dem bones
dem bones
dem dry bones
was like sweet sugah
spooned over liquid honey
da way
you danced dem bones
'round the room
throwin' flesh to disregard
and sure as mornin' rain
i did loves the way
you strutted and staggered
right up to da day
you swung me over
in a sudden pas de deux
'n' disconnected my swollen luv bone
from alla yer slip 'n' slide bones
for what ya said was now
and for forever
leavin' me high 'n' dry
to drown
in the flood my blue despair
like youse didn't even care
just so smoothly pinning
my desire out dere
with the wash on the
backyard clothesline
my alone-bones waving in the wind
over all dem other bones
dem dry bones
in the fallowed graveyard
of all yer former lovers
who surely
like me
didn't 'pect to be
quite so suddenly
hearing the word of the Lord
dem bones
dem bones
dem dry bones
now i ain't one to harbour
no ill-will nor no sour-mash grudge
i ain't one to muster
up a batch of black tar
and feathers
to makes you a smouldering
winter coat of revenge
but, honey,
done wrong is done wrong
and so i guess
it only stands to reason
that a man played
is a man betrayed
and as pappy used to say
every circumstance has a
consequence
still it's no small matter
when my teeth still chatter
drivin' over the ruts of the Shushwap Levy
and i hears the cold hard clatter
of yer bones
dem bones
dem dried out bones
in the trunk o' my rusty ol' Chevy
i can't help but wonder if
while you was high-steppin'
thru death's door of disconnection
that oh-so-simple one-two-three
jitter-bug chugga-lug into eternity
y'all ever got the chance to
knows it was me
who gave you the nudge
and was sendin' ya on yer way to
hearing the word of the Lord
© Kennedy James. All rights reserved.
Oh WOW ... that was brilliant ... absolutely love it!
ReplyDeleteYES ... each and every section of our journey is a stepping stone to a different level of being ... which often allows us to return to what was with a deeper understanding. If that makes sense? ... I do believe that what is meant to be will be ... and everyone who comes into our lives, comes in for a reason ....
Brilliant write!
Here's hoping the reason is always a good one ...
DeleteYa gotta love a good old gospel song. Oh Lordy! You whimsical poem was just what these old bones needed this morning. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteTypo: You whimsical = Your whimsical
DeleteGlad to be of service ... ;o}
DeleteNever would have believed you had any black in you, KJ.
ReplyDeleteI never thought of sending any of dem dry bones to eternity, although there was a time or two that I thought that a particular set of dry bones had done me wrong. Generally, after an appropriate grace period, I just moved on to jumping another set of bones.
~Manfred
Yessir, a fresh set of bones is most always preferable to a worn-out jim-jumble of old bones ...
Delete