The Voice (1990)

The day the voice moved in with me, he brought his good friend fear.
Said ‘We all share your heart and soul you’ll soon forget we’re here.’
The day the voice moved in with me, peace and sleep moved out.
The addict he was at the door, and the voice he jumped to shout.

Said, ‘We like you we like it here, we know you like us too
And we know you’ll like our friends, cause true friends are so few.’
The voice would talk for hours about nothing much at all.
And all the noise would wake the fear and the drunk would wake withdrawal.

Years had passed in tears and stains and I had to kill the fear.
The voice he left in the middle of the night, said he didn’t like it here.
The voice returns sometimes when I sleep but he’s gone when I’m awake.
The strength it took to kill the fear was more than he could take.

And the drunk is with the addict and they live from coast to coast. And sometimes when I pray to God, I pray you’re not their host.
Singing, ‘We like you, we like it here, we know you like us too. And we know you’ll like our friends cause true friends are so few.

–Dennis Mantin

Shot Down (2005)

Another day, sundown.
Another night, sundown.
Orange to black, sundown.
Fades to midnight blue.
There’s nothing I can’t do.

And here comes the night
And I don’t know why
I hear your voice
And I lose my way.
Where are you now?
Can I touch you somehow?
You’re somewhere near sleep where images fade.
And here comes the sun.
Another night is done.
Here comes the sun.
And here I go again.

Saw the man, shot down.
Heard his voice, shot down . Eyes rolled white, shot down. Breathe goodbye that sound. Fades to midnight blue. There’s nothing I can do.

Another day shot down.
Another night shot down.
Orange to black.
Shot down.
Fades to midnight blue.
There’s nothing I can do.

DENNIS MANTIN

Beauty Delusions

The fever broke mid morning.

After dreams that weren’t so bad.

The toilet held some swets and shakes

But not the worst I ever had.

I think the worst is over.

Only blue skies lie ahead.

Bright smiles from only loving friends.

If I can just now get out of bed.

Dennis Mantin

A Thursday in the Future

There’s a Thursday in the future…

Hard rain is going to fall.

There is going to be a reckoning.

The wager will be tall.

It will be an all or nothing.

With no space for turning back.

The eyes will hold that look of fear.

Like a prisoner on the rack.

But for now it’s wine and roses.

Loaded guns behind locked doors.

In the distance there’s a silence.

In my head a battle roars.

Dennis Mantin

Darkness Brightness Shone

The pain it kept on coming, I didn’t know what for.

I didn’t bother asking why, I just knew there could be more.

It always looks so simple, back then it rarely was.

The future seems so distant then, like the present often does.

The end is an illusion, like a dream where time can grow.

With nothing left to fear but loss; I just had to let it go.

The pain it kept on coming, it wasn’t always you.

And when the pain was over, there was nothing left to do.

Except smile at the moment, the moment you were gone.

We had that shiny moment, in the darkness brightness shone.

Dennis Mantin

Same Same Old Song

Her feet will keep on moving where no moss is gonna grow.

She knew a man who had a plan but he’s not gonna show.

It was gonna be so special, but now its  more or less.

It might be looking good to you, but to her it’s all a mess.

She’s been looking for forever for anything but same old.

Something grand to brag about and good story to be told.

So you just keep on moving, there’s nothing to see here.

The same same old is not the plan but chaos will appear.

She’s been looking for forever and her mind cannot be changed.

There will be no happy ending… just a fading to deranged.

Dennis Mantin

That Moment

There’s a moment when we have IT.

That moment we all know.

When things can get no clearer.

When truth and colors show.

Sometimes we see at a sunrise.

Sometimes in dark of night.

When silence is the road map.

When awesome is the sight.

That moment when time changes.

When what was lost is found.

When someone takes your breath away.

And leaves you smiling at the sound.

Dennis Mantin

My Nature

I’ve been trying to change my nature.

It’s the way I start my day.

To be kinder and more silent.

I get on my knees I pray.

I’ve been trying to change my my nature.

For years to change my mind.

All my efforts I’ve concluded.

Have arrived at just be kind.

Dennis Mantin