A Mudd Christmas Tree

A Mudd Christmas Tree

A yearly purchase for granted taken
after much tromping round branch shakin'
in an urban concrete lot next to a mall
bought by weary folks doing the Christmas crawl
something you take for granted
or do just cause the kids demand it
dreading the mess of needles on the floor
in our house it means a great deal more
See, for my pard this long held tradition
is more a happily fulfilled one man mission
with each gift given well thought out care
taking one down here and another there
just a fella with a truck and chainsaw
in the cold winter air biting his cheeks raw
choosing for uniqueness in every size and shape
each one as different as two snowflakes
from up the hills he brings them down
in his pick-up all strapped round
smelling like bar oil and Skoal and sweat
cheerful to the core without worry or fret
packs one right up to the front door
though hes tired and back sore
he'll ask you where you'd like to set it up
then he'll set and and chat a while
sit up and give a smile
Sayin "Well, ol pard, I only have a minute;
this stop's only the beginning!
I have five more of these trees to deliver tonight!"
And no the trees aren't farm grown and symmetric
but that Christmas Tree my old friend has selected
Well... in my house that tree looks exactly right.

L. John Knight
November 29, 2013

Dust on my boots

I`ve still got dust on my boots, sweat on my collar
ranch in my roots and my last dollar
Cash on the stereo, tickets to the rodeo
still trying to grow up but the growing is going slow
kids are at home, wifes on the phone
telling me she loves me so be careful but I can`t drive slow
nowhere to go but home but thats why I go so fast
another week in the sweatmine is over so my boss can kiss my ass
beer is on ice and dinner is in the pan
I lead the double life a free spirit and a hard workin man
I get the big piece of chicken I guess that`s all I need
sometimes I worry that I might be part of a dying breed
I miss the country cause this town job is trying to break my back
but my backbone is all american steel and it wont ever crack
grew up buckin that hay and workin those steers
cut my teeth on a shovel with a wrangler patch on my rear
chew ring in my pockets gone but I still got that copenhagen grin
guess I`m just another family man workin hard to win..

L.John Knight
5/26/2011

Western Daydreams

Western Daydream

 

I miss the rodeo
I miss the smell of dirt
I miss the clash of bronc and badass
the triumph and the hurt
I miss my cowpunchin job
working neverending days in the sun
forever working for the brand
with no cavalcades won
seeing trailers full of beeves
and horses on the run
I miss the ropes the whips the hollers
the calluses made earnin dollars
I miss the air filled with dust
I miss the people I knew
characters all tried and true
the toughness earned and legends made
I blew my shoulder lost some teeth
I`ve since learnd tragedy and grief
and love and landing on my feet
But I still miss the rodeo
I miss those wild times
I miss the immortality of my friends grown in rhyme
I was invincible
Bumbles always bounce
But I sure miss that rodeo
I`m gettin sick of towns
So i wake up of the mornin
pull my boots on my feet
clap my belt round my waist
I still refuse defeat
Cause what I learned in my spent youth is that you never quit
even when your mouth is full of blood
and your gear covered in shit
I still feel my heart beating in my ears
when i hear cowhooves a racin
but I sure miss those western times
When it was me they were chasin... 

L.John Knight
1/5/2012

Douchebag

Go get a brand new truck, jack it up thirty inches

call all your friends bro and your girlfriends your bitches

ask them to wash your truck everyday, what can I say

Youre a douchebag, you call people you’ve never met fag

You are a douchebag, total dick to your mom and dad

a douchebag, when your girlfriends pissed she’s just “on the rag”

such a douchebag

Wear spangles on your jean back pockets

you’ve never touched a wrench or sockets

be sure to keep that bright white local sports team cap clean

and never ever get a speck of mud on that parking lot queen

every look on your face makes me want to hit you

but I am not a rich jerk so I’ll never get you

punching guys like you is like having sex to me

it feels really good even when it isn’t very pretty

so pay the mechanic for a bigger lift kit and

get you some chrome but you dont know how to fix it

that giant Chevrolet is just an extension of your tiny dick

Remember you have money so your life is really trick

Youre a douchebag, you call people you’ve never met fag

You are a douchebag, total dick to your mom and dad

a douchebag, when your girlfriends pissed she’s just “on the rag”

such a douchebag, never seen a bigger douchebag

I guess I’ll meet you on your way to the middle

With your five babies mommas and Lawyer Lickspittle

Your already on the way down and you dont even know

Your world is just a big wanna be television show

The whole world hates you and you dont even know

so rattle your pipes and call me a fag

go back to the basement at your mom and dads

and buy yourself a thirty bomb instead of paying your child support

You are super cool like those assholes on the Jersey Shore

Douchebag.

L.John Knight

2-6-2017

Our last time

Our last Time

I never saw this one coming, didnt hear the engine running

didnt see leaving in your eyes but it is no surprise

And now I cant believe it, but I can see you leaving

you never shut the door you left me hurtin for more

one more minute one more moment

one more sorry but now youre going

left me here on this side

now youre headed out and this is our last time

Just wanted to hold your hand, now this is the last stand

you got your back turned and you are leaving me burned

I want to beg for you, you know I yearn for you

youre walking away and I just want you to stay

one more second one last shot

one more word it’s all I’ve got

left me standing while you ride

now youre headed out and this is our last time

you arent saying a thing, hearing the angels sing

I cannot see your face it’s like we were erased

your hair is in the wind, we cant be friends

dont want you to leave I never learned how to grieve

one more note one more joke

one more life with one more hope

left me standing lost in lines

now you are gone and that was our last time

L.John Knight

2-3-2017

Personify Punk

Personify Punk

Personify punk! Rebel! Jump and scream and yell
run and dance and holler live life and never falter
hurt and cry cut your hair and leap and die
burn your clothes and tie your wrists with pantyhose

and shove everything you can find up your nose
hate authority and rage burn the magna carta page by page
fling up your chin and scream the king is dead long live the king
fate and destiny are created by what you see so
dream and love and if you can`t pretend to be
like everybody else then brand yourself with anarchy
wear clothes or don`t or just sit on your ass and smoke
no one cares no ones there noones watching so lets all share
its love it`s lust it is sex and booze and bust
and anger against fame the whole world is so lame
so go try or dont just go dunk your head and soak
because tomorrow is today and it all will get taken away.

L.John Knight

7-30-2011

Dog growls are Honest

Dog growls are Honest

 

Rapid heartbeats adrenaline flows
feel like I am on fire from my head to my toes
my hair stands on end my breathing is heavy
tension building in me but the voice in my head is steady
Ripping out emotion with shaking hands
staccato snapping on the keys as fast as I can
like a slap to the face the words surprise me
I never knew that what is inside is so angry
a dog growling an infant crying a soldier dying a siren wailing
Like the fists of a drowning victim the feeling is failing
I bury my face then I bury the spade
I bury the tears inside until this reality fades
A dream to run away from
a cave to cover
the end of the world and the end of loving one another
Be honest inside you feel like fighting too
Like finally releasing some words that ring true
You must be sick of light steps over these eggshells on the floor
Time to get everything in the open
Time to open the door.

L. John Knight
8-14-2011

Chop me down like the Woods

Chop me down like the Woods

baby don’t you know you leave me standing here in the rain

you know you make me crazy, always running in my brain

voices coming in from a far away place

I never measure distance, no finish line in this race

I have never bled more than when you cut me down

you got me real good, theyre talking all over town

You make me feel when there is nothing left

you hurt me the most when you make me feel good

I know it will never last

You chop me down like the woods

you got me driving fast and you know i’m going nowhere

I can see you hanging out, I see the sun in your hair

don’t know what I’m thinking I just got this pedal down

sometimes youre laughin at me, but I keep comin around

baby dont you know you got me circling the block

just wanna hear your voice, just wanna hear you talk

You make me feel when there is nothing left

you hurt me the most when you make me feel good

I know it will never last

You chop me down like the woods

my heart is moving like a flag in a hurricane

cant keep it off my face, turning up into the rain

tires spinning like the world going round and round

you build me up today, tomorrow just knock me down

turning up the radio just to drown out the noise

tell me you love me, then go see other boys

you hurt me the most everytime you make me feel good

you swing the axe, just chop me down like the woods

it always hurts me most when you make me feel good

you got my number baby, chop me down like the woods

L.John Knight

2-3-2017