Night Light

Pull my mask so tight Til it pinches my skin Nerves strung so high I am a mandolin Jenny calls from Montana She's only passing through Probably never see her again in this life, I guess Not sure what I'm gonna do Plug a night light in Leave the porch light on Because the small dark corners have designs on me Live like an outlaw Clutching gold coins in his claw Room full of ambitious young policemen Everybody trying to make his mark I was a red dot blinking on a screen up overhead And then the room went dark Dream of maybe waking up someday And wanting you less than I do This is a dream though It's never gonna come true Plug a night light in Leave the porch light on Because the small dark corners are establishing a colony Live like an outlaw Clutching gold coins in his claw Can't ever set aside the sweetness Of the days before the crews put up the border Fields full of wet rain Cling tight to their memory forever Think about Montana when I close my eyes Possibly Jenny's headed east Count a couple of stray hopes outloud May their numbers one day be increased Plug a night light in Leave the porch light on Because the small dark corners breathe like heavy animals Live like an outlaw Clutching gold coins in his claw