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Do Not Shoot

by Good Rays

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1.
In my hometown telephone poles are being decorated with pictures and flowers and teddy bears. Being written on with markers. Some are maintained, some yellow and fade away. Is the day going to come When every telephone pole in the whole town is decked out to remember NR, MK, RG, PB, JL, DW, RS, EA, rest easy He had a myspace page with a song playing. The years have gone by, and it's still his favorite song. His friends have grown up now, and they have to keep on liking that song for him. He never had the chance to get over it so it’ll be his favorite song forever. Is the day going to come when every telephone pole in the whole town is decked out to remember CT, LN, BR, NS, TS, RP, AG, KM, too early And then they come around and they decorate the tree, as though that’s where you’ll be. As though that’s where you’d want to be.
2.
George pulled out a rifle and shot the monster. He was a good aim. It was like a bison, horns even larger. Like a lion but tame. George took off in his pickup, the monster did as well. With a bullet in his body he was one tame monster, mad as hell. The monster looked forward, furious. George looked backward, curious, just as eight old ladies crossed the street. But the monster was to blame. With the monster in the hot seat, it seemed that everything was fine. George went back to college and left his past behind. George was the best sharpshooter in the world. But so what? He always did his best. But so what? I guess if you’re ever bored, you can always think of George, and you can say to yourself, “So what?”
3.
Hunting the raven that sits in a strip of night, on a skinny strip of snow. Hunting the raven sitting down. Nobody moves but day goes. Nobody moves but day goes. So you declare a truce. The raven doesn’t move. Oh the raven doesn’t move an inch. How rude the raven for making you reduce your mercy in the face of the big truth.
4.
Five Cobras 05:45
Put myself in a forest by necessity. I had to finish my record, and I thought this was the recipe. But pretty soon I changed my tune, just as soon, oh just as soon as I saw what it was going to be like. Ooh, a pipe. . . I saw a tube move and it gave me a fright. It was: Five cobras fighting over one snake. Or was it three gone after the other two? Was it snake vs. snake, or was it me vs. you vs. you vs. you vs. you? All alone in the woods am I. So alone are you. I’m not asking who am I, just what am I, oh what am I to do? This kind of choice I hate to make. I think the choice itself is lousy. But how can I make my mistake when five cobras surround me? I shall remain here till tonight, while my mind grows weak with the sun. How long must we remain here, standing on and on? How long must we remain here, standing on and on? If you got away, the snakes would understand. You see, they’re upset, pacing circles in the sand. And the snake wants a break wants a break wants a break and the snake wants a snake wants a snake wants a snake wants a snake. And the snake wants a break, wants a break, wants a break and the snake wants a snake wants a snake wants a snake wants a snake. But through the hiss I made this out . . . “Oh, mister,” (Suddenly, advice): “Psst, mister, listen listen up, just take a snake. But you better make your choice and quick, and I’ll tell you what else, pssst, pssst: Time’s a-wastin’ while you sneak. Time’s a-wastin’ while you speak, keeping your secret outta reach. And what good is a secret kept five snakes deep?” “Psst, Psst, psst, psst, psst”
5.
Blumenthal 05:52
Beautiful bloom Wonder why we don’t get used to. . . I get used to taking the B when you’re on the Q. Hey Who do you think we are? A regular train pulling up to a regular man in the summer rain? We are. So we see beauty only fast and far. So we’ll see you soon where you are. Beautiful bloom Wonder why we never seem to get used to. . . It’s like we’ve never seen you. I get used to taking the B while you’re on the Q. Who? Who do you think we are? A regular train pulling up to a regular man in the summer rain? We are. So we see your beauty only fast and far. We see similarly your pain. Blooming, blooming all round. Every street you walk down, he’s also walking down. He’ll never even give a frown at everything that’s gone wrong, and everything has gone wrong now. He’ll never even give a frown at what’s gone wrong, and everything that’s everything has gone wrong now. Every single tear goes down the drain the drain the drain. And every single fear is just the same the same the same. Will he receive us now? Will we receive his non-frown? Oh, every single tear goes down the drain the drain the drain. And every single fear is just the same the same the same. Is he ever seen to grieve? Oh beautiful bloom, all radiant brown and gray over a sea of blue. Is he, is he taking the blame? Is he, is he taking the train? Is he taking the train?
 Now, is he walking up to me . . . and you? Walking up the blue. Oh, is he taking the train? Is he walking up to me and you? oooo beautiful bloom Wonder why we don’t get used to. . . Mmm, I get used to taking the B when you’re on the Q.
6.
I got a new job, awesome. But I find myself shut in. Scratching out of a 2006 coffin. How soon should I begin? I’m headed out In my lonesome Infiniti. Get me out of this shroud now now. In my lonesome Infiniti-- I’ll get there by my own knowhow. and how? by now and now and now and now and now. Now, now! Behold the lonesome and infinite, rowing through the lake of sips. You always wanna drink your life down faster when you’re out on a lake like this. You always wanna drink your lake down faster when you’re out on a life like this. Open bottles floating all over, smoking chimneys exchange with the fog. Manufacturing horizons around nowhere, but I know where. I’m going there to jog. But for now, I’m headed out in my lonesome Infiniti. Get me out of this shroud at once. And the Lo lo lonesome Infinite responds (more than it’s said in months): “I’ll help you cause I know you, and I know you cause I’ve seen you once. I’ll help you-- cause I know you. And I know you cause I’ve seen you once.”
7.
Mainly Men 03:14
Ah, questions men ask of themselves after having answered. The motorboat has no sails. The motorboat goes over the handsome waves and leaves tails, no trails. The answer’s in the water, cure is in the rain. It is a desiccant to humble men. For full gaping wondering, salt water in the mouth. Our vacations are all alkaline, and an awful pain. Oh! Someone in the next boat over drops a phone into the water, another drops a dog bone. We will be leaving soon. No one will be staying. Mainly men, we are coming back again.
8.
In the country fair booths every living being has a use. There’s fun beneath the sun, fun for everyone. Fun beneath the sun, fun for everyone. I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows. In the country fair booths every living being has its particular use. There’s pork beneath the sun, some for everyone. There’s pork beneath the sun, pork for everyone. I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows I can’t wait till it snows.
9.
All Right 03:38
Coming from the neighbor’s house (all right) is a sort of painful sound, and it sounds like glasses crashing to the floor. The celebration will endure all night. Normally a fight breaks out, but we don’t know what they fight about. Yeah, sometimes shots are heard, and lots of rapid-fire words. By the time the shots reached my ear, the teenage gunmen disappeared out of sight. I’d gone outside to ask if all were all right. A lady told me “Yes but no, just sit tight.” Can’t do much aside from that, but I think I might have lunch with Pat. If I could ever get any sleep. It’s starting up again across the street. The party just drags on and on all night. No one seems to care if everyone is all right. Better stay up now and worry later. I’ll read about it in the morning paper. But why would you try to kill just because you’ve got the time to kill? They only hit the windshield, so it’s all right.
10.
We were all invited to this house. There was a lizard playing the organ. Everyone could do what they want. There was joy in great proportion. We were led into a chamber were all Gods were combined. 99 Percent of all the patrons went and left them all behind. There is quite an echo, me and just one gecko. A rapture gloriously defined by just the reptile and I. I’m never sure what he gets out of staring into my eye. Ten seconds of each minute of every hour I’m thinking of the people and I’m crying crying crying crying crying. I feel free now, I’m in a greenhouse. La la lalala la la la la I’m in a greenhouse La la lalala la la la la I’m in a greenhouse

credits

released January 27, 2014

"Telephone Poles" and "All Right": words and music by David B Greenberg and Julian Cartwright

All other songs by Julian Cartwright

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