Cross-Eyed Jesus

Cross-Eyed Jesus is the name of the bar,

out past the depot, in an ol’ box-car,

Chaney is the owner and the barkeep too,

keeps twenty paper dollars in the heel of his shoe.

Deb-or-ah Cadabbara waits weekends at a table,

might even take ya home with her if yer willin’, an’ yer able.

The music on the juke box is the bastard of the blues,

takes yer mind off all the heartbreak and the batt’ry acid booze.

Denny is a flatfoot and he drops by at eight,

drinks a neat bourbon, ‘cause he's gotta watch the weight.

They’s craps if yuh like it, an’ poker if yuh don’t,

an' tho' Chaney takes a marker, the other guys won’t.

The sign says after midnight, but it don’t say which day,

an’ a’ course they ain’t no licence, but they’s still a fee ta pay.

*Listen to the author read it here