Turpitude

Well, Jackie lost her fucking mind outside Greenlawn detention and then it made
the Chronicle
And I remember what you said at the time — it was farcical, but it wasn’t
comical
It’s been a trying couple years and I know that it appears that I’m aimless if
not mindless
Well it’s a universal truth that when someone turns that blue then suddenly
it’s all just you
And turpitude
November 8th, 1994 — a dark café in Rochester
Gingrich revolution on the TV — you think things just got bad? The truth is
more exhausting
And I smoked for the following reasons:
The contract with America
I smoked because of Pulp Fiction
I smoked because of Mojo Nixon
And because back then it wasn’t rude
Nowadays I suppose they’d call that Turpitude
I left a diary in the van
It had mostly just ideas and maybe some sketches
A notice from collections and a cease and desist from my favorite band
1940, August 20 — the springtime of the cannibals
An icepick deep in Trotsky’s back — his last thought is «It's understandable»
I was pumping some pain in West Memphis
I was just about losing my shit
It’s sunny and extradition is difficult
Confused thoughts in my head
And will the night air finally calm me?
And will our parents remember us fondly?
Can I do anything to get you in the mood?
Sometimes my mind wanders and I think about Turpitude