The fall is coming and though I’m in Paris I am already thinking about the Northeastern U.S. in autumn and that sad, sweet quality of the season. And it brings me to mind of leaves and pumpkins and sweaters and returning to school, though I haven’t had a fall homecoming since I quit teaching 4 years ago.
And it brings to mind certain types of folk music. And to celebrate early, I’d like to share a song my little brother, Victor Alvarez, wrote when he was known as Ghost Tales. Now he’s on tour with his punk band The Knockdown and I respect that they have their own thing going on, but man, I prefer the musical stylings of Ghost Tales. What can I say, I’m a romantic.
Enjoy.
\’Be a Good Lass\’ by Ghost Tales
Back when I was 18
I was making time for Jesus
And driving around my brand new Chevrolet
Audrey she was lovely
And when she said she loved me
I felt a slice of heaven fill my lungs
But the winter is so long
My father lost his job
And the entire goddamn city went to hell
Audrey, she was lonely
Because I moved to Oneonta
And with me took the body that she loved
I WILL TAKE YOU BACK WHERE YOU BELONG
BACK INTO MY ARMS THAT ARE LONGING FOR YOUR LOVE
Passion turns to treason
I gave myself some reasons
Why Id let my passion turn to cold
I told her about the money
And how theres hardly any
And how she should be glad I came at all
But the truth is I would give her
A city made of emeralds
That would match the color of her eyes
Her body as the landscape
Her golden hair as pavement
We would make the flower city bloom
Oh, its not that I want to be
In the middle of the sea with sharks around
But oh, if we choose to stand up now
And suffer through the bout
Well come out free
I still talk to Jesus
At the Sunday morning service
But these days I find it harder to believe
That its Jesus talking
Giving me the good news
Telling me its time to come back home
-lyrics by Victor Alvarez
Poem of the Month 
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