He had a poem written on his palm
In permanent ink, it read:
"Risin’ on a purple wing
The insect queen of eastern spring"
He clasped our photographs under the floorboards of a gallery
We silenced our alarm clocks
For the time being

Tell me, boy, was I meant to be your ladybug?
Something pretty, something smaller than yourself
Locked on to love?
You should’ve left me in my flowerbed
Content and curled up
Said you should’ve left me in my flowerbed
There were dreams yet to be had…

I’m on my knees like a praying mantis
You are the cockroach I couldn’t seem to get rid of
You kept on crawling back and my skin did also
I’ve but one question left to ask
Who are you when you are alone?

She had a way of finding where I’d gone, when I went
Sneaked out of class ‘round ten
Threw up sentences that hurt so upstairs
And when I stepped out she stood in the mirrors
Her trembling frame made six
I inched closer to hold her
She pinned me hard against the sink
Pressing me for answers but i could no longer speak
Pressing me for answers, I liked the way she felt so I would never tell
Each night I lay quiet analyzing all I have or haven’t done
It’s safe for whom I’d do anything, for him, for her, for anyone
But who are you when you are alone in the dark room
In the light of the sun?
Are you true? are you just? are you humble?
Please, I’m on my knees, I’m praying, find me
I wandered off, look where it got me, oh, oh
I’m on my knees, praying come find me
My bird, my best friend
I wandered away from you, it got me nowhere

On the first of April
She came to our opening
She wore a skirt and her mother’s pearls
Strung sleepy on her collarbone
I held her hand outside the mill
Before she drove herself back home
It wasn’t until three in the morn
When he walked me up to my back door

I kissed his neck as he turned back towards the car
Can’t say why I did it- for him? for her? for love?
But I’m on my knees now I was misguided by the stars
I marched off on my own only to find myself lost

There’s one thing I know for certain- it’s no good to be alone
When your heart is a catacomb
You feel like an insect on the wilderness floor
When you’re stuck in the jungle of your blood
Your veins all tied into knots
You’d better straighten your head my friend
To escape the tangle of your thoughts