Heavy flower

The way it let its face hang

Didn’t quite mesmerize them

Such a heavy flower

On a thin stem

“That weed’s got a bend in it’s back

Don’t care enough to wonder when it’ll snap.”

The way it learned to matter

Was to turn toward the sun

The thing that raises you up

The thing you’ll then wither from.

“That blossom’s now a feast for the eyes

Worthy of pressing before it falls and dies.”

But what about life for life’s sake?

I have heard of seeds that germinate

And never breach the ground – we’ll never see

Others grow to full capacity

Others, still, are weak with petals torn

Tread upon or weathering a storm

Ashamed of the products that they make

What about life just for life’s sake?

They say “This life’s for this world

Roots, stem and leaves

And the spirit of this world

Made you to breathe.”

They say “This life’s for this world

Roots, stem and leaves

And the spirit of this world

Made you to breathe.”

They say “This life’s for this world.”

They say “This life’s for this world.”

Rhythm Guitar & Vocals: Jessica Dennison

Lead Guitar: Joe Jiang

Bass, Tambo, Backing vocals: Jessica Jones

Greek Sculpture

I am not blind, today I’m truly

Gifted with eyes that see only your beauty

And I watch you take yourself out back and I know there’s something wrong

But I am in awe -- I’d like to take your picture all day long

Perched on a rock, I find you in a struggle

Still as the stone you’re sitting on, your mind a jungle  

And I know all about the quiet lashings you administer

When you’re sitting there, frozen and flawless as a greek sculpture

You’ve got the goods

I see all these lesser men so proud and absolute

Oh, do you know you’re very good?

I have a sense of you up against a hurdle

A mega church, some kids in a prayer circle

And an old man with the kind of tone and confidence in speech

That one believes, doling out empty threats that few can beat

And my witchcraft is surely not your answer

I’m off the edge of what you’re after

And one could guess was merely placed here for a solitary kiss

A final spell, please take it with you, and remember this:

You’ve got the goods.

I see all these lesser men so proud and absolute.

And it’s you who’s got the goods.

Do you know you’re very good?

Oh, do you know you’re very good?

Rhythm Guitar & Vocals: Jessica Dennison

Lead Guitar: Jessica Jones

Piano: Jessica Jones & Jessica Dennison??

Bass & Drums: Randy Bemrose

Peace and quiET

I was sitting in that attic room

With the honey-colored walls, late afternoon.

It was the first time (may it not be the last time, too)

That I knew.

And what to call it?

And what shall be its name?

What happened there?

“Peace and Quiet?” Well I think that’s ok

But it’s more than that I swear.

And on our bikes ‘round town the next day

I said, “I mean it this time, I’m gonna be ok.

I mean I’ve seen now it is time to be ok.”

And has it seemed a false prophecy,

Or do you still have faith in me?

Oh I love you and your faith in me.

You say on your evening walks

You see my light on and you know I’m up there a lot.

I haven’t felt it (your gaze when you look up)

But I think it matters some.

Alone, how I like it,

But wondering, could it be

That in this peace and quiet,

Invisibly, you’ve been carrying me?

And time again, and day to day,

I say “I mean it this time, I’m gonna be ok.”

I mean I’ve seen now it is time to be ok.

And has it seemed a false prophecy,

Or do you still have faith in me?

Oh I love you and your faith in me.

Rhythm Guitar, Piano & Vocals: Jessica Dennison

Lead Guitar, Bass & Drums: Jessica Jones

God of Love

Hit like a gong

There were pangs

And my jaw clenched

Still ringing out

“Hey, what happened to your softness?”

You met the pride

Of a rich bigwig

With your own chest

Pushing it up and out

One day you’ll be made in his likeness.

Like a warring god or goddess

Who sees

how sweet you were when you ran free

Along the beach

Now excusing yourself from this good health just because

You say there’s no time in this small world for the god of love.

There is no shame in this shape I'm in, I know

There is a way to this place I’ve been:

On the banks

Fearless with joy

Being breathed by a wave

I'm a sweet mama's boy

Seen or unseen

There's no distinction

I cried, "Are you watching me?"

Til I reached the ocean.

Was never one to see the light pouring in

Just ignorant so would go on ignoring it

Ain't that the way

Such things can be

Here in my shades under a veil

You can't touch me.

A wave, a light, a song

Pervading

How’s it something is always wrong

Both/and complete?

Come settle down and take your place in the sand

You are well in ways you can’t understand

Safe and at ease, nothing to cover up

Just hot sun, warm skin and the god of love.

Rhythm Guitar & Vocals: Jessica Dennison

Lead Guitar: Jessica Jones

CONFINES

Write a new story -- be sure you're well-rehearsed

Go to the authorities -- be sure you get there first

Say I'm unwell and best be sent away

Cast a spell and they’ll all submit like clay.

There’s no use telling about the things I saw.

It is your destiny to rise and mine to fall.

Locked up, I’ll let you earn your name.

In this perverted saint game.

And from the confines of my cell,

I'll be cooking something

That these sweet men and this rickety cage cannot hold.

Its eyes wide and alive,

Oh, I am holding something

That’ll chase you wherever you may go.

A quiet killing along a secret lake

Off the trail where I found you by mistake.

Held her under and vexed me to forget

Kept your composure, didn’t flinch when our eyes met.

But I know what you’ve been up to

And you and I may be the only ones who do

And I can serve the sentence for you

But we will know the truth.

And from the confines of my cell,

I'll be cooking something

That these sweet men and this rickety cage cannot hold.

Its eyes wide and alive,

Oh, I am holding something

That’ll chase you wherever you may go.

And there will be times when you’ll appear to walk on water

In an elegant straight line and never falter.

But I will know you’re on somebody’s shoulders

Will know what goes unseen by your beholders.

And we will know what you are up to

Even if we are the only ones who do

And there will be no solace for you

We will know the truth.

We will know the truth.

And from the confines of my cell,

I'll be cooking something

That these sweet men and this rickety cage cannot hold.

Its eyes wide and alive,

Oh, I’ve been holding something

That’s gonna chase you wherever you may go.

It’s gonna chase you wherever you may go.

Rhythm Guitar & Vocals: Jessica Dennison

Lead Guitar & Rhodes: Jessica Jones

Bass & Drums: Randy Bemrose

Wedgewood Drive

How much

To put toward this goodbye

to Wedgewood Drive

and hello to the next trials?

I really tried, on the steps before going,

to pause and give the moment some weight

but it was always so well-known

that I had no plans to stay.

And how much

to ritualize

and to mark and divide

the breadth of time?

I really tried, while approaching the passage,

to summon some last-minute rites.

But the change, it already had happened

on its own, unseen and quiet.

Rhythm Guitar & Vocals: Jessica Dennison

Lead Guitar, Bass & Backing Vocals: Jessica Jones

Drums: Randy Bemrose

Gold and Blue

Could barely think, the sun heating me through.

Could only feel the tidal pool all gold and blue.

I was singing but I didn’t know that

Until it echoed back

From the people I also didn’t know were there

Until the notes appeared

Forming an old song I hadn’t heard in so long

Had forgotten how to do what I hadn’t done in so long, so long.

Could barely tell what crawled out of the ocean.

Lizards of sand, crumbling apart where they stand.

And then running, suddenly living.

I’m witnessing

With the people - hey how’d I not know you were there?

You brought me here.

Singing an old song I hadn’t heard in so long

Sounding decidedly new with a chorus sung from something the sea spawned

On waves of gold and blue, crawled out of the ocean

Had forgotten how to do what I hadn’t done in so long, so long.

Rhythm Guitar & Vocals: Jessica Dennison

Lead Guitar: Jessica Jones

Bass: Fields Falcone

Drums: Randy Bemrose

DARK JEWEL

Busy days

All work, rise and reputation

And we love to fit things in

See the trees on the weekend

And backyard fires

Clinking glasses

A revelrous choir

Half acknowledging that we are blessed

Nurturing comfort like a pet

But the memory

The felt map of what has happened

It sits inside you like a dark jewel

That you don't value

And will it let you go

Where it hangs and builds in your hollows

Toil away and never find it

Sing and dance so we can never mind it

Been some places and seen some things

But think of what tomorrow brings

It's behind us put our lives together

Reap rewards of wealth and fame

Endlessly in avoidance of failure

As distracting as a game

And walk in a circle like little children

Careful they are keeping score

And when the music stops quick as you can

Run and find a platform

Find your platform

And the one you love

And the empire that you'll build together

It has a point, no one’s gonna tell you different

Catch your best reflection in your children

Soon we’re hanging on

To everything we’ve made and done

But everything I’ve tried to claim and covet

Has a mind beyond my stories of it

Here with you, my love

There is another voice I hear and it whispers

To let it fall apart, let it crumble

Sift it gently through your careful fingers

And at your feet here is the jewel that I carry

Been some places and seen some things

It ain’t easy but we’ll proceed

Do our business, trade some rings

Build a nest and plant a seed.

Sun is rising and falling

Don’t know what tomorrow brings

Rhythm Guitar & Vocals: Jessica Dennison

Lead Guitar: Jessica Jones

Bass & Drums: Randy Bemrose

I’ve Been Darkness

i'm still a human being

haven't transcended anything

you came and offered me a ring

but that finger i've long been dismembering

and picturing in the soil

in the sand box with my toys

buried, disowned, destroyed.

i'm still a mind run amok

i'm in a modern dilemma

"oh can't you give that trouble up?

we'll till the yard and you can be mama

i'll be pa, we'll dredge it all

unearth those old, discarded dolls

and give them to our first child."

but i've been darkness

so much longer than i've known i am this girl

i'm still not convinced

but the way that you used to look at me

-- it almost brought me to believe

longing -- it stops me in my tracks

i do admit to looking back,

sometimes and saying with regret

that the walk -- it sure feels steep along this path, this path

Rhythm Guitar & Vocals: Jessica Dennison

Slide Guitar: Jessica Jones

Bass: Randy Bemrose

White Oak Trees

This time you did not hesitate

Came to my door, you had just one point to make.

Struck a match and lit up your torch

And walked away like a proud warrior.

I had a line out to you for so long

That I grew weak from the disconnection.

So weak I had become in those few days

Following your declaration.

It’s so strange, what at the time made sense

Was -- now I see -- a criminal offense.

We are so limited and arrogant

Empowered in our violence.

The next year the storms came

And ripped through me, steady and unashamed.

And in the night, crying for relief

I remembered your wounded disbelief.

It’s so strange what at the time made sense.

And what I did was a criminal offense.  

We are so limited and arrogant

Empowered in our violence.

Now I walk the curve of the border throwing wildflower seeds

That may grow there in the grove of your white oak trees.

Do not fear, I stay on my side

But I do not control the wind

Oh I’ll be good and observe this line

But may the breeze send my love in.

(repeat)

Rhythm Guitar & Vocals: Jessica Dennison

Lead Guitar: Jessica Jones

Piano & Bass: Jessica Dennison & Jessica Jones