i saw myself as them neutral in some ways but threatening in others

i saw myself as them

neutral in some ways

but threatening in others

before i took the big trip east

and that was well before you called the police

and before the court involved itself

i spent a lot more time close to the vest

you see

when you see it

and when you feel it

are two different things

the wind blows cold

you know

up on the niagara river

up above the snow

 from the southern tier

and that’s all about

868 miles away from here

but anyway

as i started to say

when you called the police

and told them it was you

that was beating me

when you told them

to stop you

and said

    all serene

‘that man isn’t any good

for anything’

you said it            like it was a relief

like your bitterness

was more than just belief

like you were somehow more

than                     just

a thief

we know better by now

it’s true

we know better by far

me

         and

you