A Strange Boy

strange boy is weaving a course of grace and havoc 
On a yellow skateboard through midday sidewalk traffic 
Just when I think, he's foolish and childish and I want him to be manly 
I catch my fool and my child, needing love and understanding 

What a strange, strange boy 
He still lives with his family 
Even the war and the navy 
Couldn't bring him to maturity 

He keeps referring back to school days and clinging to his child 
Fidgeting and bullied, his crazy wisdom holding onto something wild 
He asked me to be patient, well, I failed, "Grow up", I cried 
And as the smoke was clearing he said, "Give me one good reason why" 

What a strange, strange boy 
He sees the cars as sets of waves 
Sequences of mass and space 
He sees the damage in my face 

We got high on travel and we got [bad word] on alcohol 
And on love the strongest poison and medicine of all 

See how that [bad word] and goes 
Like the pull of moon on tides 
Now I am surf rising 
Now parched ribs of sand at his side 

What a strange, strange boy 
I gave him clothes and jewelry 
I gave him my warm body 
I gave him power over me 

thousand glass eyes were staring in a cellar full of antique dolls 
I found an old piano and sweet chords rose up in waxed New England halls 
While the boarders were snoring under crisp white sheets of curfew
We were newly lovers then, we were fire in the stiff blue haired [bad word]