We've got our hearts made of paper The winds of change are gonna take us Up above the ashes and the glitter The torch has passed and we're purging From the Delta to the Moon Freedom's raging Roast your wienies over the joint chief's smarting asses All you Origami Peace Corps Mischief Makers Register your vote you freedom riders Move to the front of the bus, bind with your brother Though they beat us, hose us down and bomb our churches Throw us in your swamps, hang us from your trees We'll be ornaments of your cowardice, lights for more to see Send us off to war and try to kill us We're still Origami Peace Corps Mischief Makers Ask not want your country can do, ask what its done Come up to the dime-store counter, sit down and eat March into the colleges, take any seat If you want to put us in our place Slash black batons across our faces If you want to lock us out or in You've gotta tie us to your cotton gin and make us! Make us! Make us! Mischief Makers!

I got a bullet for you I'm on a black tar rooftop Pigeons pickin' bread from the palm of my hand Pinch their beaks in my fingers Like a trigger, baby Lights out with a twist Not so much as a coo Unbreathing and still Dead as a patriot On a Cuban beach There'll be no air cover to save you... I got a bullet for you I swung a state for you, Jack We shared a mistress Now, every time I take a leak I got you burning in me And your brother's like a bad rash That keeps comin' back Some days I think, “Who do I whack first?” Dear Mr. Kennedy Up on Capitol Hill We are a Fact Finding Committee and My memory failed me We only wish the truth But it's all coming back at Eighteen-hundred feet per second To you Are you a communist infiltrator? Dictator Tito's dancing partner? We demand full disclosure and a plain-sight, unobstructed view of your car I, J.F.K., this is Fidel Castro Got a bullet for you Operation Mongoose is a no-no ‘Cause my wife just left me Let's go, mano y mano For a look-a-like Kennedy Working in a traveling show I, I'm just a patsy, pay no mind to me Got a bullet for you Bringing curtain rods to work, redecorating If you need me I'll be In the break room with a soda In the Texas School Book Depository waiting for you... You take the window and I'll take the knoll And I'll be in the headlines before you... The manhole, the overpass The fire escape, the picket fence The stairwell, the parked car The plaza, the sixth floor.... We got a bullet for you...

Peering underneath the hedge At my walkie-talkie on the ledge Of the open kitchen window frame Of the trusting Mrs. Paine She's taken Russians in A wife and two small kids Marina, Rachel, June Their smirking daddy when there's room And now I'm off to history And I got a front row seat My Secret Spy Decoder Ring Says, “Junior, follow me. Fate is filing up her plate, The paper route can wait.” I let the dailies stack un-thrown This mystery's bigger than what's known The petty events of this world Yellow on the drive Until Thursday night at five When “O.H. Lee” arrives I sneak out in camouflage And that night in the garage A naked bulb illuminates Sifting through the broken crates Butcher paper in his teeth The mousy ex-marine Lifts from a blanket roll A rifle with a scope I caught my breath As he clumsily drew the bolt action back He was staring down the barrel right at me Right at me! Chased across the road I burst into the kitchen of the cop next door But he hardly looked up from his whisky neat, I shouted, “Come and see!” Break The cop said, “What's that thing? Is that a Secret Spy Decoder Ring? Are those x-ray glasses hanging from your ears? Don't you fear. Your imagination's wild I got a motorcade to ride in, in just a few hours You remind me of my daughter, God bless her soul Now, get on home…” The cop got on his motorbike Waved to the gunman at first light Walking out of Mrs. Paine's front door Package underneath his arm “What you bringin' to work' Lee?” “Curtain rods,” he said and winked at me The morning paper hit the drive “TODAY THE PRESIDENT ARRIVES” Now, I'm off to misery A kid not to be believed My secret spy decoder ring Is wryly mocking me: “You could save his life If you were old enough to drive… If you were old enough to drive… If you were old enough to drive…” If I was old enough to drive…

Me, My sisters Ruth and Bethany Are the Dallas Youth Auxiliary Quote: “Founded when Catholics wouldn't dream of your job…” That's the slogan our Daddy Suggested for the welcome poster He tore in two Then he locked us in the garden shed Said, “Come out when you're not communists!” Quote: “At least you're not all lesbians like that Quaker next door.” Ruth said: “How could we be? When Nixon is the Dick for us three…” He let us out! We stole his keys After Bethany Took a shovel to his knees Quote: “Take the wheel, I'll hit the gas – off to the New Frontier…” We left Daddy crawling Across the front lawn - in our side-view mirror Was the paperboy running mad, calling out, screaming out for a ride And we're taking off While you're touching down, down, down Hearts and flags a flutter Thighs ‘ll turn to butter at Love Field We jumped the curb of the parking lot Ran to the tarmac, cut through the mob Quote: “Peel that old bag from the fence, she's not long for this world!” And there was your smile, like a gift behind the birthday wrapping You took our hands And our saddle shoes left the ground Young debutantes over the crowd Horn-rimmed glasses turned reflecting On a thousand days of waiting Teenage hearts in palpitation Coming down from expectation Cigarettes all ‘round Then the blue rinse in the floral dress Tore us off the chain link fence Shook hands with the President, her fist full of our hair On tip-toes and waving Quote: “We hope your stay is breath-taking!” It sure was for Me My sisters Ruth and Bethany Of the Dallas Youth Auxiliary Quote: “Founded when misery couldn't hold down a job.” Returned to the car to find Behind a crutch pointed like a rifle, Our daddy saying, “Gotcha, girls… I gotcha girls… I gotcha girls… I gotcha girls… …Pow… …Pow… …Pow…

This late in November Every thing seems out of kilter To me Autumn doesn't give hope Elbow room In your pink Chanel you're radiant And your husband is the President But your black car floats through Dallas like a tomb But take heart, take heart I have a confession My wife died in November Lost both the breasts that fed my little girl Sold everything to treat her But cancer proved the bigger spender Left us broke and broken But she'd say Take Heart, take heart Take heart For there are ways to shine without gold There's more I didn't mention My daughter died in November Of disappointment that she wasn't you Nights I'd wake to find her weeping Her Jackie hair-do slipping Yearning for love from everyone but me And I'd say Take heart, take heart Take heart For there are ways to shine without gold And riding here beside you Helps me fight off that nagging notion That without my family, my usefulness is through I couldn't save my wife And I couldn't save my daughter But I may save myself if I can help save you Two… Take heart, Take heart, take heart Come on and give hope a little elbow room Elbow room, elbow room Right on Houston Left on Elm…

Disintegrating In glazed eyes and red stains I'm thinking this has to be The biggest case of “I told you so” I know I'm being petty But when Nellie turned and said, “Can't say Dallas doesn't love you…” I almost laughed before you put your hand on my knee To stop me, Please stop me Like I couldn't stop you From disintegrating The young woman you waved to For that moment I hated you I imagined you dead and that I was finally free And that's when it happened ‘Did I will it to happen?' Was all I was thinking as I Held your head in my hands This is a tight sleeve, The fucking engines of this plane are shrill My lips are bloodless Please, stop me Please, stop me Like I couldn't stop you From disintegrating The face of that young aid Glancing back over LBJ's shoulder I heard him say, “I've got a sure-fire way to win a second term Put a hit out on his wife The sympathy vote would be a landslide”? You weren't really thinking that, were you? Did you? Were they killing you? Or were they just missing me? And if you were in my place Would you be…Disintegrating?

Sun through the window like a boogey man Unfinished curtains on the nightstand Alarm clock bounces off my head Phone is ringing beside my bed My son is dressed and waiting on the step It's the head nurse calling from Parkland I got a kid. His name's John-John Born the same day as the President's son Today is the day of the big parade But they're short at work and it's double pay That means a new scooter on your birthday But the President will have to wait… Take Public Transit 109 Bounce out at the Parkland sign Bring him to work and show him ‘round Grab that bucket, mop, and gown Towels, bed sheets, blankets and diapers Wheel him ‘round in the laundry hamper John was the Prez, a mop was Jackie K. We were a two-man motorcade A girl stopped skipping to watch us shoot past He blew her a kiss and then through the glass Of the emergency doors we turned to see Blood and roses, guns and grief Bring him in and lay him down John, bring the surgeons gloves and gowns! Through the black suits darting to and fro I could see her shaking and alone “John-John put that bullet back And offer Mrs. Kennedy your hand Hold it tight ‘till her cryin's done And don't look back, I won't be long…” I brought fresh linen for the President I watched the doctors pronounce him dead Then a light voice said, “Is this your son? He held my hand and my cryin's done.” Then John-John said, “You better get along, You've got a birthday to plan when you get home…” She bent down and kissed my John-John's face Smoothed her bloody dress into place And with her son's love as her staff She lifted a nation upon her back She turned and nodded, we nodded back As they carried her husband from Parkland… John-John put that bullet back!

I don't feel like myself tonight I feel like cryin' all night for real Like sirens outside my old foster home Scratch that, it's just the Dexedrine talkin' And the President getting his head shot off, here in Dallas for Christ's sake I'm a little more like a cold rock Spinning in the outerspace Of the black hole that his kids must be sleepin' in Tonight I feel like being myself tonight And cutting all these goddamn strings off I'm like the goat-herding marionette from that Broadway Nazi musical Getting jerked around all day by children wearing curtains for clothes Christ, what a way to go… Although I wouldn't trade my dogs' black assholes for those singin' kids I'd sell my soul for a handful of their nanny's ass But there's no soul left to sell I'm mortgaged to the teeth I'm the biggest whore working in the Carousel Ruby, Ruby - Ruby, Ruby Whose dog will you be tonight? Ruby, Ruby – Ruby, Ruby When will I be mine? I once ran numbers for Capone I've got every cop's home telephone They know me. I'm colourful! I'm a character! So, don't you tell me that I'm a zero ‘Cause they're in for free drinks all the time And that includes the fuckin' FBI Now give me one last shot As I untangle this fuckin' mess ‘Cause nothin's free and I'm the fuckin' proof Here's to you Lee Your smirk will soon be Kissing my fat Jew ass goodbye And the conspiracy In setting us both free Is that I will be mine… Can't you read - we're closed ‘CAUSE THE PRESIDENT'S FUCKING DEAD! Christ… When will I be mine?

Son, you got a lot of ‘splainin' to do Reporters round your neck like a beard of bees That hit man at the back, he's got his eye on you But I'm the one who can take you where I please So give me your elbow A flash photo for the folks at home This is just like my senior prom The inside of your arm is soft as I lead you, Lee Like a new-born Marxist colt at the county fair You'd never know from that thin-lipped little smirk of yours That the icy hand of fate was between your knees Speaking of clammy hands It's like I'm back in Lubbock with Mary Francis Working to retrieve that corsage pin that fell into her blouse And she tried to shoot me too In a theatre just like you And it was when I wrestled that gun away (Just like today) that I looked into her captivating, Mesmerizing, hypnotizing, Texas blue-sky, Russian-defecting eyes…. My nose at the back of your neck as the elevator slows Doors cut in two by the axe of the TV lights I want to tell the world what we both know is true When that hit man from the first verse shatters you Mouth to mouth Your last breath in mine Death cutting in Like an All-State Lineman Minus the blood I could swear I was back at my senior prom If this ambulance were a Fairlane And your black eye was my school ring I would swear it was my senior prom…

When we rode into town - we didn't have horses We had fate by the balls, destiny's face turning blue Settled for less On love's dusty trail We wanted something more than just an “o.k.” corral, Take the skeletons from the closet - put ‘em under the floor Let's settle up on boot hill, to the view we adore The truth about us You can't exhume by assumption You have to work hard - have to get on a talk show Let the host root around See where it goes And if that's too far we'll bust a chair right over his nose Take a bite of the Big Apple while the room is for free Spit the pulp into the Hudson like it was British Tea Oh, Marina, Marina, it's cold and it's lonely When you're pointing a gun at the President I'm no flunky with a rifle, I'm an N.R.A. golden boy I'm a genius forging a legend “Where's the truth about us?” You came in demanding Your scarlet face wrung that old southern bell My Rett Hoover reply left me hard to peg: “The truth about us I've buried deep in Connally's leg.” Pry open all the coffins, there's only one thing inside, A pink dress and a pill box hat with Camelot tags Oh, Marina, Marina, it's cold and it's lonely When reporters are carrying your coffin Oh, please baby please, let coincidence leave me A martyr to patriotic negligence “Should old acquaintance be forgot And never brought to trial...” Every girl and boy can grow up to be the President Or grow up to be the President's killer... It's equal opportunity It's the land of hope and glory It's a cheap Italian mail-order thriller... The truth about us Sailed for Manhattan What was it hoping to find? Cheers from Ellis Island? Ha. We turned them back from the shore Sent them back out to see How Promise can grow smaller if two sides agree We sent them packing off to Auschwitz - When we heard the reports We wrote, “How dare you!” with their ashes As if we couldn't have known You see Marina, Marina, I've learned lessons from my country About national interest and the “Big Picture” I'm gonna manifest my destiny Gonna spread the legs of misery I've got my piece in my hand and I'm loaded The truth about us Ain't hard to figure It's adding up to one hell of a toll on us We had been up all night When the tympani rolled Faxed-in paper pledges turned to solid gold Kids pick up your guns from the thug in classroom “D” There's people out there whose jobs depend on our misery That's the truth about us

Please, Come with me To Arlington…Arlington Snakes are curling Around the fragile Young ankles Of my country Look up Over your shoulder It was never me They were after Put your head down and keep moving Trust me I've seen this once before Don't weep, Please, just keep moving To Arlington…Arlington And lower me Frozen Into the bosom Of my country

It was easy To be bold In his slipstream Transformed From hand me down Tag along To brother Cuban missiles 90 miles 13 days Apocalypse with style In his slipstream Annihilation Was a firefly Clipped in the headlights Of a joy ride Buy an election Get the girl While the girls are gone Have more than one In his slipstream Cap a mobster Have a bombshell Moan Happy Birthday And the earth of his grave Has the scent of hubris That weighs On your conscience Out of his slipstream There is no shelter Fixed, dilated as A starlet's eyes Out of the slipstream Her dream provides The future murdered With cameras rolling A moment caught in time That was not caught in time Trapped in the fallout Of the storm That Irish eyes Couldn't charm Head in the mouth Of the Cold War tiger You had by the tail In the kitchen Of a hotel In California You as well Like your brother In your wife's arms Bullet behind your eyes And it is easy To be bold Into starlight Transformed… “In my slipstream Tag along Brother…”

Out of the brilliant sky in Dealy Plaza Like a spinning taco chip of fate Into the salsa bowl of cosmic wonder Dropped a fragment of the head of state Caught it bare-handed in full extension Like Willie Mays at the Polo Grounds Except I didn't hit the cut off man I kept it for myself Now it's… In the center of my reliquary In the basement of my bungalow Behind the picket fence that leans like crooked teeth In my scale model of the grassy knoll Tourists coming through may find me creepy But fees just love me, this I know I see bags & bags of money floating in The formaldehyde of my eyes I kept the bottom jaw of Ruby's dog As a clip for my bolo tie The paws I had sold at auction Built the extension on my garage Where in the rafters curled in 12-gauge plastic With a red pen behind her ear Lee Harvey Oswald's fourth grade teacher Every fall I give her legs a stretch In the center of my reliquary We do a loosy-goosy Skip-To-My-Lou In my tux with the magic bullet cufflinks And a blood shot boutineer Dosey-doe, pop your partner in a limousine Let their back brace keep them in your sights Look, there's bags & bags of money floating in The cross-hares of your eyes Sometimes I think, let him rest in peace Like a collector's commemorative plate When I think that I'm really thinkin' Rest in peace, ya pieces of eight! Rest in peace, ya pieces of eight! Rest in peace? Ya, pieces of eight! ‘Cause I have bits of Jack and Jackie floating in The formaldehyde of my eyes I see Caroline and John-John floating in The formaldehyde of my eyes I see placemats, coffee mugs floating in The formaldehyde of my eyes I see t-shirts, hit records floating in The formaldehyde of my eyes… In the middle of my reliquary Got the American Dream in a jar

White man in decline With his thorny crown of empties Wrapped ‘round his troubled mind Sucking on his radio Pacified by brainless rhetoric in patriotic code With his mircrowavable last supper And twelve of his friends He lifts his wife up over his head before the Super Bowl begins “Her body broken for you, She'll beat black, she'll beat blue, Let's hope our Cowboys come through…” World won't change if he don't look He's got his hand over his heart And his head stuck up his hole What does it profit a man To gain the whole trailer park and lose his very soul? Humming, “You Ain't Whistling Dixie,” a distant look in his eye The little pointed hood in the closet can't hide the cowardice inside Now it's eating him alive No last rights for naughty boys Gather round the easy chair See the white man in decline Throwing tantrums on the floor Of the Senate and the House Holding his breath until he's blue “Children of our mighty country, the poor have stolen your futures Were gonna steal them back for you. Come gather ‘round the banquet table, see how God is on our side…” But when they carved up the turkey they found Only stuffing inside Pledge allegiance to his flag Wrap it in a body bag… See the white man in decline Shhh…