Picture Elvis

For barbara r.

She breathes through the book
Measures a picture there
Picks up a knife
Cuts it to wallet size
Now she has lived
Now she has breathed
And now she's tasted heaven but the trip doesn't sting
And all she wanted was a photograph

Rain on my tongue
Feels like i'm tasting god
Silver and gold
Drinking the riches up
Back to the night
And if i died
I'm gonna ask my questions on the other side
And all she wanted was a photograph

Mask of the city hangs in mock deliberation
I step outside the wire while the sun strips off my cocaine
Bent like a banshee while my cup is overflowing
Another brutal ending i know i'm an animal story telling

And she breathes through the book
Said that she never knew
Question is easy
But the answer is hard to take
The binding cracks
And the words will fade
But she keeps the picture in the frame that she made
And all she wanted was a photograph