Little Collette

she was tired of being his little Collette
face pressed to the screen cheeks always wet
the mountain's heart cracked open wide
and gave her a blood red trail to ride

she woke with her head in the snake catcher's lap
bouncing in tandem on her endless tack
he bought her a coke and a bag of chips
and said come on cookie and puckered his lips

how can you say you'll never go back
when every new day mirrors the past
do you wonder how different it might have been
if you'd just stayed put way back when, Collette

ah but you see it all now like it was written on your palm
that was someone else's story, you just went along
like you were born with no will of your own
and life blew you around till you threshed out a home

    now you're a woman with arms grown long
    from reaching for things you could never own
    from holding yourself alone through the night
    from pushing a heavy heart up so many flights

and how can you say you'll never go back
when every new day mirrors the past
four in the morning, channel changer in your hand
sleeping like the innocent next to someone else's man, Collette

ah but then you are born once again like a cat
poking your head between the grizzle and the fat
hungry, clean as a new born babe
talking a blue streak nobody's slave

in the mirror your new face betrays every idea
before you have time to recognize your fear
and you walk on the carpet through your living room
tender flower bloom, Collette