Yellow Jacket Blues

Andy asked what I was reading
And I turned the book around
And noticed a penguin on the paperback spine
“But the sun also sets,” he countered
“Don’t forget to read between the lines”

He tapped the ashtray, blew some smoke my way
And as the matador’s sword prepared to sink
I started watching the yellow jacket
Floating in the coffee Andy didn’t drink

The professor holds court on Saturdays
Everyone I know kisses his ring
You can search for a philosophy but the secret is
The professor doesn’t like anything
“The twentieth century was just a litany
Of homicides justified off the cuff
The swarm of locusts the bible promised us
Well, it can’t get here soon enough”

Maybe he was right, I’m certainly not feeling
Very hopeful for the future either
But I was watching the yellow jacket
As he crawled down into my beer

Well, Frances called to say she had a bed bug scare
They must have sprung from those overalls she scored
Her roommates were bellyaching, reminding her they pay rent
As if they’d never had an itch they couldn’t scratch before
But who did all the laundry and who cleaned the whole house
And who still believes in love?
Some are collecting pennies in heaven on a garage sale Playstation
But Fran, she’s downtown dancing at the club

We laughed and we cried and we said goodbye
Then I stepped out into the magic hour
I was watching the yellow jacket
Disappear into another flower