off the coast

withering wondering westering days

lost days of empty pockets

and an empty mind

captain jerry, stuff that hardscrabble oleoresin

in a winter-scammed dream

pale puffy rodeo queen

fresh from the rodeo of middle america

(you could pronounce it ro-day'-o if you like)

captain jerry, hold back a word, hold back another word

hold back every word

leatherback sea tortoise skips along and makes a traffic button

while the dolphin does that

(you know i'd say it because I have to say it)

fancy-pants dance

(i say it every time and i love it)

smile and hold back a word and drink your drink

(they think it is lemonade, of course, poopsie-doodle)

(your mother used to call you poopsie-doodle,

but you do not remember it, so i will call you poopsie-doodle

on behalf of your mother's ghost)

the pale puffy rodeo queen has hair and skin and lips and chins

and chicken-fat arm folds and cataracts and that unfortunate skin condition

the same as your mother used to have

(poopsie-doodle)

the same as she used to have until death gave a reprieve

well thank God for that.

anyhow.

spin that wheel, spin that bottle

spin that puffy pale rodeo queen

spin her until the chicken-fat arm folds turn all green

and the ceviche colors the water

where a leatherback sea tortoise skips along and makes a traffic button

and captain jerry can stuff that hardscrabble oleoresin

in a winter-scammed dream

(and you could pronounce it ro-day'-o if you like)