The great state of Maine

January 2005

Mixing drinks in unmixed company
For men who are all mixed up and yet no more than me.
And I can try to understand
But I’ve always been your straight man, it’s all I know to be.

You still got silence all inside
I get scared for you, brother
Won’t you find some northern lights?
 
Behind the bar, working bareback
A thing of beauty, a thing.
Ones and fives are tucked in so deep
And you’ve tucked yourself way down as well
Too deep too reach.

You’re the standard, stand-up, we all wait for your sign
You learned how to fight back, but sometimes you’d rather hide.

You still got silence all inside
I get scared for you, brother
Won’t you find some northern lights?

I walked you hand-in-hand down to school on your first day
Call it a promise - oh so hard to keep
And there’s much I might have done differently.
It’s hard to see you hardened, and hard to reach.

I’d still like to hold your hand
But it’s not my life to lead
In the great state of Maine
There are no billboards to read.