777

I’ve been saved. today I stand and testify of blessings, well-wishes and whispered wet-eyed kisses goodbye of handshakes, double-takes private discussions and pickup lines little white lies and riddles or mindless entertainment so simple that signed statements and safety nets aren’t a necessity for smiles or sighs no placement tests or quests of bravery from flattery to slavery with our batteries included mind over matter, easy does it every single one of us opened up our eyes bearing witness to this shared experience six billion minds and counting come to life. twenty-one years ago today I cried for the very first time and prayed in sign language and sang a wordless version of ‘away in the manger’ a newborn stranger to this universe this new world, this star-spangled flag unfurled across the skies. since then, my life has consisted of cars mangled emotions entangled in oceans of symbolism the minotaur, the labyrinth making mazes out of rhyming lines amazed at everything but like kid Icarus, flying way too high sometimes too far, too distant, too close to the sunlight until the wax of my wings softened and I collapsed like a sinking stone to the earth below alone. for those of you that don’t know me this is my story my glories and failures my worries, my pleasures a few of my favorite things because today, I am risen and resurrected and though I gave up the ghost I’m coming back with a vengeance and instead of X’s on my hands I’m getting stamped with a new stigmata this automatic rite of passage the right to pass between worlds with holy water in my heavy hand and the devil damn near yelling in my ear, Drink up, son, the night is young, the party’s just begun Let’s get so motherfucking drunk that we can’t see straight, talk right, steer or steer clear of bad decisions we’re missionaries pissing on fences on a divine mission to attain double- no, triple-vision on Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! paying half-price admission for the full seat but we’ll only really need the edge or the floor. Now I’m not a betting man, but you can bet that I’m asking for more until they drag me out the door with far more slurred swear words than anyone anywhere has ever heard before goddamn shit fuck cunt piss cock ass dick and when those run out, don’t doubt that I’ll throw in some old school butt fart and poop I’ll even make up new ones if I really feel compelled to cause hell, dude it’s Easter Sunday, 4/20/2003 My 21st birthday, happy birthday to me you’re my loved ones, friends, my family my band, people I haven’t seen in ages, new names and faces all celebrating this occasion with me and it bears repeating how much meaning I take from this because the greatest gift that I could get is having a life with all of you in it. this isn’t the end yet wait a minute I’ve yet to wax poetic/prophetic/political I’d like to give a shout out to my hometown of Zionsville, Indiana and remind y’all of matters that are far more important than getting plastered and having one helluva hangover yeah, for my headache tomorrow, I don’t know, I don’t know I figure I’ll take, like, a million Excedrin because everything is so, so, so much bigger in Dallas, Texas. Good thing I didn’t hit puberty ‘til I got here. But when I did I shot clear up to 6’3’’ and picked up some teenage angst you wouldn’t believe with a supernatural fantasy of superheroes, vampires, messianic dreams messing with my mind it started coming apart at its stretched-out seams and getting messy when Ecstasy and LSD sent a mighty messenger to liberate me from the tight confines of my sanity to redefine what open-minded meant to me my third eye going blind from too much mental masturbation and smoking too much weed but I see everything so clearly now so give me my vacation, because this is what I need to run amok around Las Vegas, feeding coins to slot machines although I don’t believe in Lady Luck, I’ll be begging pretty please when I see her pretty face for the first time. It’s not if you win or lose, right? it’s how you play the game and 777 is my nature, name, and claim to fame