Halls of the Dark Muse

When Two Lives Collide

We were
just playing in the sun
with honeyed eyes
dirty feet
and air sun dried
in shades of wheat

Passing our days
with summer love
never say any wrong
never thought to question
why?

Drinking beer
strumming on the guitar
while sitting in noon day shade

but that was before Johnny
found the gun

They were
all just flower girls
of an age where everything
had so much more meaning
dancing in circles
wearing Loral wreaths upon their heads
clasping hands
singing about brotherly love

Strawberry hair
eyes like the stars
sweet music they made
at dusk in the park

that was the day before
they found Susan dead in an alley

It was a world divided
young boys bored to be
the dogs of war

girls all told that there
mothers were whores

Still believing in a time
when boys and girls
played the same games
together

she climbed into the
pick-up truck

He believed in all the rumors
the told him
about girls who wore flowers
in their hair
and danced as if they
belonged to the sun
fresh as a spring day

Strangers
were no longer friends
and men were not boys anymore
while girls had to learn
to be women

she drew away
he felt the shame
and with a BANG

two lives destroyed

Susan's friends
gathered at the wake
and Johnny felt his
time grow near.