THE OLD BIKER by R. Gibbs

Now this hunk of a man once full of his sand, sits on his porch at night

Full of scars and watching the stars wonderin’ where he’d lost his sight

Was it back in the day, hell it’s hard to say when his belly was flat and tight

Turnin’ girl’s heads and warming their beds 

He remembers

The breeze from the East carries the tease of perfumes from the past

Of beer hall fights and nyloned sights and comedies perfectly cast

Of smoky worlds and wasted pearls and coming in first and last

Standing his ground when no one’s around

He remembers 

Now bald as an egg with a bum leg a prize he won for stupid stunts

Gets down in his back and looses the track cuz this dog no longer hunts

Makes awful sounds by moving around and not all are old man grunts

His world growing dim but it’s fine with him

He remembers

He loves the hush of tree and brush, of the natural woodland sound

He’ll share a beer if you get near but no one ever comes around

And he will smile and say it’s best that way cuz you could get bit by his old hound

Well, if he had a tooth, but to tell the truth

He remembers

You might be able to get some fable if you offer him some good ‘shine

Cuz he can tell you tales of pirate sails castin’ shadows over the brine

You might get lucky, if he’s feeling plucky and he’ll tell you of the time

He was hard and tan with a fast right hand

He remembers

“Sit right down and lose that frown, yeah I’ll help you pass some time

But if you think we’re gonna sink into a world of order and rhyme

It ain’t that way I’m sad to say but since we’ll be hanging on your dime

I’ll fill your hat, with everything that

I remember.

“Stared in his eye and watched him die, saw me some babies being born.

Heard angels sing and demons scream, swear I heard Saint Gabriel’s Horn

Saw neon rain, felt pleasurable pain, danced when all around me would mourn

Ate Manna still fresh and rotten devil flesh

I remember

“Made righteous blush and sinners hush, got atheists to call on the Lord

Felt the freezing’ cold of Mount Fuji snow, hid for days in a Texas Fjord

Even got hitched to an evil witch after one night’s humping in a Ford 

And to this day I still f****** pay 

I remember

“Boy, see this scar shaped like a star, that’s where a bullet made me dance

See this one too all raised and blue, a husband caught me without my pants

Damn his aim I must proclaim it was worth all don’ts and the can’ts

Sweet Stolen Bread with a good head

I remember

“I rode my bike through a Northern strike till my hand froze to the throttle

I’ve drank my fill of Nectar and swill, ate my share of fist and bottle

I’ve swam the flood of sweat and blood, been so sick I couldn’t swallow

Sucked sugar cubes off starlet pubes

I remember

“I took my share of the Bathtub wares in home made acids and highs

Wore cowboy boots and gangster suits, had my fill of leather and ties

Had lock-up bends and Elvis friends and broke bread with spooks and spies

Expensive booze from high heel shoes

I remember

“Love cactus juice and daring the noose to snake down and break my neck

I broke a horse and y’know of course, I’ve walk away from many a wreck

I’ve doubled down knowing a clown had done went and stacked the deck

And all this time stays locked in my mind

I remember.”

It’s been ten years gone, time’s moved on, that anybody’s given a damn

About an old biker’s dreams and it sure seems it’s the same about the old man

Still he’s right there in his rocking chair smoking cigars and drinking from a can

Just give him a wave as you past this way

Just remember