God Bless Max Bemis

I watched her scruffy dog invade the old dog in the yard

The dog eat dog war has raged for years, so I assume it'd be too hard

For me to drive my foot between them, or kick them in the butt

Just to prove to one or both of them, A mutt is just a mutt

Again I watched my first mate G. devour fries and Rum

He infers japanese hip-hop, brass knucks, switchblades and loaded guns

Behind the cloud of smoke under cold street lights, he forgets his looming doubts

He has learned what really matters, you will not yank that carpet out

No, no....

These are my friends

This is who they have been for always

These are my days

This is how they stay

I watch her listening intently to the dribble from my lips.

She is seems so focused on the world now that she lost her innocence

She knows her limits and she orders only one, it tastes so good

I'd try to save it for her or kill it, either or, if she said I could

Shaun is drunk and high on weed. He sweats this bird he hardly knows

All that he wants is to see someone he respects without their clothes

So like some hybrid mother slash lover she’d soothe and heal his wounds

And kiss those dying ears so softly that the reaper stops to swoon

These are my friends

This is who they have been for always

These are my days

This is how they stay

I hear those stupid dogs, I hear those stupid dogs, I hear those stupid dogs, I hear those stupid dogs......

I watch my brother’s son play with his shotgun in the street

We share a beer and joke about playing shows to their dancing feet

It’s strange; we're skinny when we're standing, but we're Buddha when we sit

And if I’m truly so enlightened why do I treat him like he's shit?

As I look back at countless crossroads and the middle where I stay

Right up the beaten path to boredom, my inspiration to move away

But the fear if this is the right choice suddenly follows me to where I lay

And it increases with every scummy, crummy hour of every scummy, crummy day.

These are my friends

This is who they have been for always

These are my days

This is how they stay

I talk to A. and he sounds so grim and yet so inspired all at once

I chat with O., he smiles to see me and I approve of his performance

I get a call from S., he's 'living' and I remember why I'm always growing up

Because to be grown up instead of growing up would just mean that I'm stuck.

I sit and talk with John, he makes me shake, his wisdom trembles me

And when he cries, I cry, we cry. If they could all see, we're such pussies

But he's a man and I'm a man because he raised me to grip the truth

I hope he never dies while I'm alive, because to him death sounds so uncouth

And I sing,

These are my friends
This is who they have been for always
These are my days
This is how they stay