holy man in gila

There’s a holy man in gila bend

I met him once, drinking beers at netos

Sun burnt face

Worn working mans hands

Hes got a crooked smile

A cigarette

And a story

Traveled from the great northwest

Down to Arizona nowhere to help his old man

He’s got a question in his eye

Then another

Cigarette smoke reaches the fading patio light

Swoorls of smoke dissipate and back again

The china freight cars pass again and again

He takes a look

He’s seen those cars a hundred thousands times by now

They’re going places he never will

He knows that now

Across the street there’s a church

Under one small street light

Desert church

Desert jesus

He spends most of his life between here and the bar

Singing songs about the lord and places he’s never been

And things he’s never seen

Trains go by again

He looks at them as we get back on our bikes

And the pack rolls out two by two

Along side the train

Going to places he’s never been

And seeing things he’s never seen