B-Side Poetry

An assignment for class to use the 'discarded items' of a particular culture to make art. I combined the lyrics of a few bands b-side "discarded" songs to make a poem. Only the bracketed words were inserted by me. Songs: "The Perpetual Self, or What Would Saul Alinsky Do?" Sufjan Stevens, "Untitled 06" Brand New, "Missing You" Tegan and Sara, "Julian" Circa Survive, "Satellite Skin" Modest Mouse, "Old School Reasons" Alkaline Trio, "These Things Take Time" The Smiths.

“If you sweep up this mess, I’d like to know”

Well I lost my taste for the company of powdering dust on your fingers.

Oh, the alcoholic afternoons,

my pipes lined in lead.

Got some shit off my chest.

[Like this] dream I had, drove me mad:

a woman divides

nothing's left to show I existed;

I'm fucked without you.

Rise up,

morbid opinions

you've been longing for being too honest.

I know a place where

the hills are alive with celibate cries;

they come, waking the whole house up.

I got a bottle in hand,

[praying] please take these

unhappy accidents.

We know we're not praying we're kneeling

[And] I know that I'm the most inept that ever stepped

[And even though] I know that you can take it to the Lord,

this sinner repents to a lake and bathroom mirror.

I am uncaught and still swimming alone in the lake.

I am all alone.

make promises, broke them enough for being said,

aiming without a cause.

I'm shimmering under a moon made in anger and haste.

Soul, I will not lie to you:

I was the one who was always repeating it.

And that's my life:

Drop me a line with a hook and some raw bleeding bait

And touch me or don't.

You can say what you want and not mean it.

Is it strange that you perpetuate yourself?