Out Like A Lamb: Poems For Thomas

Preface: www.myspace.com/sunbrothermusic. "Written In Stone"


Jimmy: Yea, we were best friends. Things change. I make a lot of money so I don’t give a fuck. I’ve managed to buy a lot of things and I’m pretty sure I’ll find another wife and another friend. How do you think I even got Suzanne in the first place? They can have each other. I’m not even mad. Fuck them. She will never be my wife ever again. I can’t even consider you a friend. You are dead to me. You will always be my brother. We will always be brothers. Until next time memories will get us by.


Suzanne: I kept calling and calling and calling and calling and calling but he never called back. I’m waiting for him. I’ve also moved on. Come back. I love you. I haven’t forgotten. We were sonnets. We were morning dew glistening on spring flowers. We were sunsets on abandoned beaches. We were sunken ships guarding buried treasure. We were what old writers wrote wistfully of. We made the sun rise in the east. Didn’t you see it, Thomas? They were just jealous. We were angels singing hymns on Sunday mornings. We were children laughing on Christmas morning. We were a midsummer day. We were murderers first. We happy few. That was us. I haven’t forgotten. What was I saying?


Old Man: Thomas was a good young man. He was strong and convincing. My wife and I loved his company. We had never had children but it felt like Thomas was our son. Sometimes when it was late at night, when neither of us could sleep, Thomas and I would talk until the sun came up. He was very interested in my World War 2 stories and he would often take notes. We would sit by the fireplace and talk about the Civil War. We would sip on tea and eat crackers. He loved the marmalade that my wife and I bought from the grocery store. He loved his room and the serenity of it. Towards the end of his stay he became increasingly eccentric, but I assumed he was just homesick. I never bothered him about keeping our guest room clean or anything like that. For so long all my wife and I had was each other. It was sort of comforting to have someone to take care of. He didn’t need it. He could take care of himself.


Thomas liked going into town. We live in a very small town. It is filled to the brim with Veterans and wives of Veterans. It is a good town. It breeds good people. We are strong here. Thomas fit in perfectly. He liked to go the library to visit a young woman he liked… I think her name was Renee. He didn’t talk about her much, but when he did he was always very polite and respectful. Thomas never really had a bad thing to say about anyone. At first. When Renee left him he became very erratic. One day he was just gone. He left everything in our guest room. I went through some of his writing. I was shocked at what Thomas had been writing and thinking. I was equally shocked at how good it was. I threw it all away before my wife could find any of it. I cried for the first time since 1946. We just try to forget about Thomas now. I hope he is okay, wherever he is. I miss the kid, though. Yea. I miss him. I miss you but we have to forget about you. Talk about civil war.


Old Woman: I would just like to start this off by saying that if any of you think this town is golden then I own a bridge in Brooklyn I can sell you. I know what my husband wants you to believe. This place is terrible. There are drugs users, alcohol abusers, and I know I can speak for more than just myself when I say that we have our fair share of cheaters. I have only ever cheated on my husband twice. He was away at war and I didn’t know if he’d ever come back. Two days after the second incident I received a letter from him saying he would be home within two months. That was the last time I committed an act of infidelity. I can’t remember the day, month, or even the year. It’s been so long. I never told him because he doesn’t deserve that. I know it’s wrong, but who are you to tell me that I’m less of a person? I’m sure you’ve all done your fair share of sinning, so just let it go.


Thomas? This is about Thomas? I taught him how to sleep and then I forgot everything. He loved her. Who is Thomas? I don’t know a Thomas.


Renee: Oh, that town is gorgeous! I love going to school there. It is a nice break from the normal hustle and bustle of my hometown. I think you need to have the balance, though. That’s the main reason I go home on the weekends. It’s only a two hour train ride, plus I always miss my friends so much. During the week I never really have time to go out. You know, working at the library and going to school can get time consuming, so Thursday nights I go home for the weekend and go out to the bars and clubs. I’m not even 21 but we get away with so much it’s crazy.
How do you know so much about me? From Thomas? Anyway…


So today me and my friends went shopping on 5th Avenue. I bought Ray Bans, YSL…I went a little crazy, but it’s my money so who really cares? Tonight we’re going out drinking and… you want to know about Thomas? This fucking city is burning and he’s not here to stop it. No, wait, I mean I can’t stop it. It’s burning and I can’t stop it. I can’t stop it. We like to go out and dance and drink. It’s just cause we’re young and search of something. I don’t know what it is… maybe romance in suits and ties and expensive drinks and downtown bars and designer shit and sex and drugs and scandal. Maybe I just like to forget about things sometimes. I don’t really think about it that much. They are just jealous.


How do you know all of this? From Thomas? Anyway…


There’s this little space in my bathroom right between… I have to stop.


This fucking city is burning and he’s not here to stop it. Are you happy now? Did you miss anything? I have to stop.


William Wallace


More soon.

I AM BACK

I will have several new things soon.

I hope you are as excited about them as I am.

Thank you for being patient.

The speculation will resume shortly.

William Wallace.