If Truth Be Told (For Kurt Cobain.) Life whispers into my ear Insinuates itself on my psyche. Presumes to understand my plight And what is right. They come to break down my door. To tear down the walls that separate me from them. Jackboot their way into my comfort zone To control... And if truth be told I don't care They penetrate me With their stare Nowhere to hide from the glare And my spirit withers... Can you hold me upright? Will you be there tonight? To run with me away from the light. Life just carries me along. On a sea of my own tears. To a shore that is not of my choosing. They come to understand my pain. To break the bonds that have tied me down for too long To wrench me away from my fears. To heal... And if truth be told I don't care. Can't fight, if the fight's not there. I find myself in the middle of nowhere. And my heart cries out... Can you hold me upright? Will you be there tonight? To help me to get through the night. Life just tears me apart. Puts a gun to my head But it was me that pulled the trigger. They come to dissect my words, To search for meaning in my lines. To try to understand why. To wail... And if truth be told I don't care. They're chasing ghosts that aren't there. Was it me who said dare to live? And my ashes scatter... Can you hold me upright? Will you be there tonight? To run with me into the light. (17 May '94) Authors Note: At this point I'm going to have to call this one "free verse," because every time I sit down to try to rewrite it to shoehorn in any semblance of metre, I find that there is not one word I can spare. This says exactly what I want it to say. What you see here is the original first draft written very much in the moment. And as I said in the beginning; I like to leave well enough alone. Here's to you, Kurt! - C.S.