Millie, Warm the Kettle

I'm burning wick to fingertip with sage

From my shaky shakin' hands

Millie, what have you done to me

My friend?

I'm tossin' turnin' in an open grave

Coined-tongued with whatever I can save

Carrying hauntings of a brand-new age-

Millie, can't you see I slide

Planchettes with my wake?

Catch me walking with the ghosts again

Must be on that double dose, depends

Roman chamomile all down the throat, lift hands

In Michigan, the lakes all darken

Blackbirds flocking to and fro, sevens

Roots drag marsh over the floor, levelin'

Millie, can't you stop them? You slow no omens

Like exhaling, it never ends

I'm coughing up elderberry on the stage

Like your sacrificial lamb

Millie, hypnotize pain away, I beg

I'm whisper-hissing notes on every slate

That I scribe and toss into the hungry waves

Carrying itchings for a familiar ache

Millie, can't you see I made a walking stick out of my stake?

Catch me walking with the ghosts again

Must be on that double dose, depends

Roman chamomile all down the throat, lift hands

In Michigan, the lakes all darken

Blackbirds flocking to and fro, sevens

Roots drag marsh over the floor, levelin'

Millie, can't you stop them? You slow no omens

Like exhaling, it never ends

Three redwing blackbirds outside my window

Two fish heads at my door

What be this omen, I'll never know

Millie, warm the kettle once more

Three redwing blackbirds outside my window

Two fish heads at my door

One kettle bubbling atop a rusted stove but

Millie, warm the kettle once

Millie, warm the kettle once

Millie, could you, so please be

A kind old dearie just for me

And warm the kettle's tea once more?

Catch me walking with the ghosts again

Must be on that double dose, depends

Roman chamomile all down the throat, lift hands

In Michigan, the lakes all darken

Blackbirds flocking to and fro, sevens

Roots drag marsh over the floor, levelin'

Millie, can't you stop them? You slow no omens

Like exhaling, it never ends