Hallelujah, hell, I’d known better

 

Ain’t no comin’ back once you get on

That train down to Memphis where

Your sister lives.  Where your sister lives

And works, you say, isn’t a place but

For passin’ through.  Like everything

I ever loved in you, stripping nothing

Off my second soul, the one I saved

Because of you. 

 

Hell, Hallelujah, I’d known better

 

Ain’t no comin’ back from You once

I been born from present lands

That been born from peasant hands

That been born to bring You up, Lord.

Ain’t no comin’ from pleasant Memphis’ shore.

 

Hell, I’d better known hallelujah

 

Amen, a man sings harp strings like

He ain’t got cords his throat but

Rain-sticks and bottle-pops, just

Sounds not meant to come from man.

Sounds meant to be made by man

Come from him like he made himself

And maybe he did, like you.

Maybe You ain’t alone, like they

Say You are.

 

Hallelujah, I’d known better hell

 

Ain’t no comin’ back for you once

I been borne from preachers’ vices

That been borne for wanted validity

That been born by your priceless

“There’s no coming back to such lands as His.”

 

I’d known hallelujah, better, hell

 

When rain comes on like this my knuckles

Burn right where I cracked your jaw.

Wasn’t what I wanted but drink didn’t touch

Your lips again.  Your lips were only mine

And water’s thereafter.  When rain comes

On like this I hear your lips kissing me

Little life giving kisses.  Life was in your

Kisses that turned down the ache that comes

From missing lifetimes lived long ago.

 

Better I’d known hell, hallelujah

 

Yes, I talk to you and God and one

Is blasphemy between you two.

You ain’t goin’ tell me when I ain’t

Goin’ listen’ to more than goodbye when

There’s no more listenin’ to be done of you.