lyrics
Tomahawk Joe
January 1, 2002
Tomahawk Joe was at the end of his rope
Tangled up and twisted just like his insides
His dreams ran out like a faucet turned wide
Past the porcelain tile and down a PVC pipe
It’d been a long time coming most of us agreed Brushes and paint dried up, then the poetry Paper scattered like leaves across the studio floor A verse or two and a title then nothing more
We thought he’d make a comeback with that mandolin That he traded for a banjo way back then There was never a doubt he could make it sing We heard a string plucked once but never again
His paintings lie unfinished some hide behind sheets There are a few of flowers that his Mother keeps Some say he was just bored some say it was the drink Some say a routine life pushed him to the brink
Tomahawk Joe I wrote you a song Though you gave us so much—you didn’t stay long There were music and paintings and poetry There was a world out there that you brought down here Brought down here for us to see
Standing at the edge of a black abyss He turned his back to the world and blew it a kiss Tomahawk Joe, you were like a song Though the chorus is over the melody echoes on…
There’s a world out there—he’d point to the sky It’s filled with flowers and candy and marmalade pie Inspiration’s just a puddle by the side of the road I drew a map in my head but it wouldn’t unfold
It’d been a long time coming most of us agreed Brushes and paint dried up, then the poetry Paper scattered like leaves across the studio floor A verse or two and a title then nothing more
We thought he’d make a comeback with that mandolin That he traded for a banjo way back then There was never a doubt he could make it sing We heard a string plucked once but never again
His paintings lie unfinished some hide behind sheets There are a few of flowers that his Mother keeps Some say he was just bored some say it was the drink Some say a routine life pushed him to the brink
Tomahawk Joe I wrote you a song Though you gave us so much—you didn’t stay long There were music and paintings and poetry There was a world out there that you brought down here Brought down here for us to see
Standing at the edge of a black abyss He turned his back to the world and blew it a kiss Tomahawk Joe, you were like a song Though the chorus is over the melody echoes on…
There’s a world out there—he’d point to the sky It’s filled with flowers and candy and marmalade pie Inspiration’s just a puddle by the side of the road I drew a map in my head but it wouldn’t unfold
j.Wilford 2002