Bitter Tea
Bitter Tea
IN MY LITTLE THATCHED HUT
In my little thatched hut
where blue-green grass grows by the brook
I lounge and I look
(I lounge and I look, I lounge and I look)
for my own true love to return–
to come rowing in his rowboat back.
In my little thatched hut
where blue-green grass grows by the brook
I lounge and I look
(I lounge and I look, I lounge and I look)
for my own true love to return–
to come rowing in his rowboat back.
I’ll go to the flower stall
and get a violet violet to put in my jet black hair
and make him tell me which one is the more fair.
And in the meantime I cry.
In my little thatched hut
where blue-green grass grows by the brook
I lounge and I look
(I lounge and I look, I lounge and I look)
for my own true love to return–
to come rowing in his rowboat back.
In my little thatched hut
where blue-green grass grows by the brook
I lounge and I look
(I lounge and I look, I lounge and I look)
for my own true love to return–
to come rowing in his rowboat back.
Boat back!
I’ll go to the flower stall
and get a violet violet to put in my jet black hair
and make him tell me which one is the more fair.
And in the meantime i cry.
But what does it matter?
Because when i see him again,
it’ll be tears of joy.
In my little thatched hut
where blue-green grass grows by the brook
I lounge and I look
(I lounge and I look, I lounge and I look)
for my own true love to return–
to come rowing in his rowboat back.
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I’M IN NO MOOD TO COMB MY HAIR
I’m in no mood to comb my hair:
there’s a chill in the air.
And it’s catching.
Catching.
I’m in no mood to comb my hair:
there’s a chill in the air.
And it’s catching.
Catching.
Catching–
catching.
I was so drunk last night I didn’t even undress for bed
and the pin in my hair was still stuck in my head.
I’m in no mood to comb my hair:
there’s a chill in the air.
And it’s catching.
Catching.
I’m in no mood to comb my hair:
there’s a chill in the air.
And it’s catching. Catching.
Catching–
catching.
I was so drunk last night I didn’t even undress for bed
and the pin in my hair was still stuck in my head.
I was so drunk last night I didn’t even undress for bed
and I swear the pin in my hair got stuck in my head.
I’m in no mood to comb my hair:
there’s a chill in the air.
I’m in no mood to comb my hair:
there’s a chill in the air.
I’m in no mood to comb my hair:
there’s a chill in the air.
And it’s catching.
Catching.
Catching–
catching.
I was so drunk last night I didn’t even undress for bed
and I swear the pin in my hair got stuck in my head.
back to top
BLACK HEARTED BOY
Darling black-hearted boy,
all the color‘s gone out of my ribbon loom
as I’ve only got the worst to assume.
Take your sheet metal sheers;
cut a slit up the side of my dark blue dress;
for a last time lie your love confess.
Get your gut,
some home made twine–
string up silk your tiger bow.
Don’t paint your board
moonlight white–
go dangle your fishhook out in the gutter again.
You swore you swore you’d never leave
you swore you swore you’d never leave
you swore you swore you’d never leave and now you’re gone and now I’m–
See the smoke from your kiln–
pine boughs burn the bricks dead hard in their fog
as I stand cold with my back broke by the bog.
Find your cross cut saw–
come blunt and jagged and dry and try
cut my tongue out to keep on your wall up high.
I tipped my toe
on the bamboo strip;
I took stone honey in exchange for my rags.
Don’t dare paint your board
moonlight white–
go dangle your fishhook out in the gutter again.
You swore you swore you’d never leave
you swore you swore you’d never leave
you swore you swore you’d never leave and now you’re gone and now I’m–
Darling black hearted boy,
I went down to wash my robe in the river;
I thought of you and started to shake and to shiver.
Leaning there on the rocks,
I see myself slip down and float
’til the brackish warm current stops up my throat.
You swore you swore you’d never leave.
You swore you swore you’d never leave.
You swore you swore you’d never leave.
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BITTER TEA
I’ve got a special category business
down by the Multifunctional Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Rollerblade Rink–
down by the Home of Bitter Tea.
Bitter, bitter, bitter tea;
bitter, bitter, bitter tea.
I’ve seen you slinking off of snake alley.
Why not come up through the hall of butterflies
and past Lane 170
into our Dragon Protector Layout
and try some bitter tea?
Bitter, bitter, bitter tea;
bitter, bitter, bitter tea.
On the 13th day of the 5th lunar month
Outside a hot spring bath
the old banyan tree looked down on me.
Aren’t you curious?
Aren’t you curious?
A little curious,
about what the osmanthus blossoms taste like?
I think you’re curious–
yes, you’re curious–
a little curious
about what the osmanthus blossoms taste like
with a cup of bitter tea.
Bitter, bitter, bitter tea;
bitter, bitter, bitter tea.
On the 13th day of the 5th lunar month
Outside a hot spring bath
the old banyan tree looked down on me.
I am a crazy crane;
I lost my true love in the rain.
I am a crazy crane:
I lost my true love in the rain.
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TEACH ME SWEETHEART
Come away;
teach me, sweetheart.
Come on past,
brave young bachelors.
I’m alone;
teach me, sweetheart.
My mother in law was standing by the stove
hissing like a snake, hissing like a snake,
hissing like a snake.
She gave orders to spill my blood;
she gave orders
to spill my blood, I thought.
I thought, I thought, and I thought some more.
Come away;
teach me, sweetheart.
Come on past,
brave young bachelors.
I’m alone;
teach me, sweetheart.
My father in law was lying on his bed
growling like a dog, growling like a dog,
growling like a dog.
He gave orders to spill my blood;
he gave orders
to spill my blood, I thought.
I thought, I thought, and I thought some more.
Come away;
teach me, sweetheart.
Come on past,
brave young bachelors.
I’m alone;
teach me, sweetheart.
My sister in law was sitting on her stoop
crawing like crow, crawing like a crow,
crawing like a crow.
She gave orders to spill my blood;
she gave orders
to spill my blood, I thought.
I thought, I thought and I thought some more.
Come away;
teach me, sweetheart.
Come on past,
brave young bachelors.
I’m alone;
teach me, sweetheart.
My brother in law was leaning on the love-seat
tapping with his tail, tapping with his tail,
purring like a cat.
He gave orders to spill my blood;
he gave orders
to spill my blood, I thought.
back to top
I’M WAITING TO KNOW YOU
I’m waiting to know you, far away;
send up a balloon says write to me soon.
I’m waiting to know you, far away:
set up at the pier, wait ’til you get here.
And when I’m about to give up hope–
but Nope,
with my telescope
I’m standing guard the navy yard
to see:
could there one for me be?
Baby oh no where did you go?
I’m waiting to know you, far away;
flashlight the cave; listen short-wave.
I’m waiting to know you, far away;
dredge up the lake; all the trees shake.
And when I’m about to give up hope–
but Nope,
with my telescope
I’m standing guard the navy yard
to see:
could there one for me be?
Baby oh no where did you go?
I’m waiting to know you, far away;
msend up a balloon says write to me soon.
I’m waiting to know you, far away;
flashlight the cave; listen short-wave.
And when I’m about to give up hope–
but Nope,
with my telescope
I’m standing guard the navy yard
to see:
could there one for me be?
Baby oh no where did you go?
Baby oh no where did you go?
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THE VIETNAMESE TELEPHONE MINISTRY
I thought myself an unworthy thing,
despairing of my case all the time, boys.
I thought myself an unworthy thing,
despairing of my case all the time, boys
Damn it all, damn it all to hell.
Damn it all, damn it all.
I thought myself an unworthy thing,
despairing of my case all the time, boys.
I thought myself an unworthy thing,
despairing of my case all the time, boys
Damn it all, damn it all to hell.
Damn it all, damn it all.
Preserve me, preserve me; protect me; save me.
So vile, so violent
Whose thoughts are spent
So vile, so violent
in thinking how they may
So vile, so violent
my steps betray,
So vile, so violent
how in a foul mishap may me entrap,
who hid in traitor grass their cunning cord may catch me as I pass.
I thought myself an unworthy thing,
despairing of my case all the time, boys.
I thought myself an unworthy thing,
despairing of my case all the time, boys
Damn it all, damn it all to hell.
Damn it all, damn it all.
I thought myself an unworthy thing,
despairing of my case all the time, boys.
I thought myself an unworthy thing,
despairing of my case all the time, boys
Damn it all, damn it all to hell.
Damn it all, damn it all.
I went to the Right Road Ministry at 4801 S. Normandie;
I went to the Armenian Brotherhood Bible Church at 5556 Harold Way
and while I was at it went to St. Sarkis;
and then I went to the Inglesia Evengelica Rey de Reyes y Senor y Senores at 2605 W. 7th St.;
and the Alpha y Omega–and the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star and Kingdom of God in Faith at 3810 W. Slauson;
and I drove around listening to the Greater Bethany Tape Ministry
and to the Sweet Hour of Prayer mission;
and I went to St. Innocent Orthodox and Jesus in Delight:
and then finally I called up the Vietnamese Telephone Ministry
at 323-221-7625;
323-221-7625;
323-221-7625;
323-221-7625.
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OH SWEET WOODS
I was in Tahoe, on the California side,
waiting in the lobby at 665 1/2 Frontage Road
when two extra-blond short-sleeve button-down
white-shirt blue-tie mystery Mormons
came in and put this music on:
came in and took me by the arm,
and as they had me marching through the parking lot–
and as they were marching through the parking lot–
they blew into their shirt-pocket microphones
like this:
And then they drove me to an Albertson’s outside of Boise
and took me into a back room.
And they said they wanted to balance my checkbook;
and they said they wanted to organize my receipts
and itemize my expenses,
and that I had the key
to a safety deposit box,
with treasury bonds and the key
to another safety deposit box
where I’d stashed away
the only pewter pocket watch
that ever belonged to
Joseph Smith’s Great-Great Uncle’s
Brother-in-Law.
And I said You’ve got the wrong Eleanor Friedberger.
And then they sang at me like this:
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BORNEO
I was so bored with my old life;
I was so bored with decent odds.
My new roommate left her debit card:
some sort of test for me. It’s too hard.
Try to run an errand. Nervous sweat.
I rush back home and if I win I’ll give her half. (I bet.)
Online casino in the Caymans;
Legal disclaimer writ for layman’s.
I moved back into New Canaan;
babysit my sister’s kids; its rainin’.
They fuss a bit while I put them to bed,
and grumpy, sitting on the couch, I get it in my head:
take Metro North. A silver candlestick.
To Aquaduct on LIRR. Pick.
I was so bored with my new life.
I felt like I knew all the odds.
I bet ‘gainst myself I wouldn’t wager
my boyfriend’s mother’s mansion (nothing major).
I stole the deed one night when she was drunk.
I drove onto the reservation with it in my trunk.
Sensors beep the threshold when I crossed it;
thirty thousand marker soon I lost it.
Baltimore inner harbor (sports) zone:
being courted. He’s talking on his cell phone.
“Let me tell you why I think I love her:
She knows you always take the bye week dome home team to cover.â€
Go up to Pimlico and I choose.
It’s no fun if it’s fine when you lose.
I was so tired with all the angles;
I was so bored with losin’ easy
So I gambled on going further a-field.
So I flew to Sydney and then to Bali and then to Jakarta
and called on my step-father’s ex-business partner
Major Timmy Sastrosatomo
and he set me up as a silver smith/batik dabber
in a house once owned by the Princes of Mataran.
And he told me all his troubles.
We bribed a CFO at Semen Cibinong
to get them to buy a 40% stake
and we got a 5 million dollar order from Nieman Marcus,
which we filled about 10%;
but I did sell them my children’s book
which I said was a South Sumatran
folk tale–which went like this:
I played cards for seven days straight,
was up $47 dollars late
evening as the sun went down I saw
the ace of diamonds up his sleeve–black velvet on his paw.
I fold, say goodbye politely.
They bark, you don’t get off that lightly.
I dreamed of a casino way up in the hills of Borneo
where I lost with the giant flying squirrels and orangutans and great morman butterflies all day long.
‘Til the bulldozers turned us into Whole Fruit Fruit Bar sticks and china markers.
back to top
POLICE SWEATER BLOOD VOW
Forget the dogs and forget the sheep–
it’s only you who affects me.
On the fun fair track road, a helter skelter fall,
on my ice skater’s bruised knees.
Vibrate buzz buzz ring and beep
tell me what time is it now.
Vibrate buzz buzz ring and beep
tell me baby what time is it now.
Blood love silver locket and police sweater blood vow;
nativity jingle, carole and cry;
chain smoking ashes all over himself.
Laugh and hug your white wine wife
Vibrate buzz buzz ring and beep
tell me baby what time is it now.
Vibrate buzz buzz ring and beep
tell me baby what time is it now.
Parking lot reading, cover my eyes:
you’re a sick moaner, now hold your sides.
On Christmas Eve and dizzy escalator malls,
retraced steps for not lost gloves.
Vibrate buzz buzz ring and beep
tell me baby what time is it now.
Vibrate buzz buzz ring and beep
tell me baby what time is it now.
Well aye, went to sleep sitting up,
see the diary and cry out:
that’s not right! You’re here and I’m there!
That’s not right! You’re there and I’m here!
Vibrate buzz buzz ring and beep
tell me baby what time is it now.
Vibrate buzz buzz ring and beep
tell me baby what time is it now.
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NEVERS
There’s a town I know called Nevers,
no Nevers
never wasn’t was what it weren’t
when it wasn’t once. Knew Nevers?
Knew Nevers?
Nothing never I’ll ever learnt.
There’s a village I visit, that’s Vaguely;
Sorta Vaguely,
vaguely yes I seem to recall,
though it’s unclear clearly–vaguely?
Very vaguely,
can’t say it’s been there once and for all.
I put back on my overshoes
and got in my Renault.
The trips reset so I’m unsure
how far it is to go:–
But then it hits me (slap)–
I’ve left it off my map!
There’s a city I saw signed Something–
must be something,
something never quite so defined,
so much so how somewhere something
(though some sing)
so to speak’s the uncertain kind.
In an index looked up Where-it-was,
exactly where it was,
just in fact to make sure I can’t
set a course straight through to where it ain’t
and where it ain’t
ain’t gotten to except at a slant.
I put on my new black boots
and pack up my Citroen.
And out of town it huffs and puffs;
I set off there alone.–
And then it hits me (slap)–
I’ve left it off my map.
There’s a place I passed called once upon a time–
tiny once upon a time–
never wasn’t weren’t what it was.
Set the clock back twice or once upon a time
in once upon a time—
never knew when it wasn’t there because.
BENTON HARBOR BLUES
As I try to fill all of my empty days,
I stumble round on through my memory’s maze:
of all my past, only the sadness stays.
I went moping down by the bridge;
I rode a bike in the snow to the mini-mart:
I thought of the ways that I’ve broke my own heart.
It’s not for me to fill the blue sea with tears,
but when i think back on all the wasted years
all the good cheer and all of the charm disappears.
I wore the exact same clothes for five days;
the bailbondsman gave me a smile;
I was just thinking of only my sins all the while.
As I try to fill all of my empty days,
I stumble round on through my memory’s maze:
of all my past, only the sadness stays.
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WHISTLE RHAPSODY
The isolated lady,
an isolated older lady:
a dignified dame who keeps her own counsel,
in love with the out-of-the-way,
identifying with the unfamiliar,
contemptuously turns her back on the wicked world
with its vulgar delusions and correspondingly
scorns its regard.
Our lady alone,
with her scarf over her head
and her pricey purse over her shoulder strap,
wonders up at the heavens
and for yesterday yearns.
The days of old.
Often, she surrounds herself with
like-minded bluestockings
and together they regret that the dear beloved
simple folk struggle with their confused
concerns, still.
But she puts her pity on pause,
and withdrawn from the delicate,
and uncorrupted by the crude–
she resigns even her own
designs–
then all at once
brings in a breath,
purses her purple,
her honey-black lips,
and lets loose a high,
and round and resonant,
and glad and grave,
and westward, whistle.
