BAMBARA
The Door Between Her Teeth
Stomps her shadow to the sidewalk
In the cigarettes and ash
Kicks her shadow through the tall grass
In the fallen nests and trash

Her shadow walks behind her
Follows her into a cab
And she holds it underwater
Picking at it like a scab
Huh!

I kiss her in the stairway
Shadow spilling down the steps
Run my fingers through her blonde hair
Must have dyed it while I slept

I stumble home and turn the lights on
Watch it scurry between her knees
And I see it when she’s talking
Hear it changing how she speaks

Out west shadows are squirming
In hot cars and dry riverbeds
Writhing on an ugly statue
Shattered stained glass ‘round its head

Jack’s smiling in the dark now
Writing things that he can’t see
And the words that he can’t read
Say: “The Door Between Her Teeth”

The old man’s in his mansion
On his hill filed up with bones
Sees his shadow stretching over town
Rolls his eyes back and moans

José rots in pieces
Between three Chokecherry trees
Their shadows interlock like fingers
On a grave littered with forties
Their shadows interlocked like fingers
Making sure he’ll never leave
Their shadows interlocked like fingers
Making sure he’ll never leave
Yeah