January/February 2019 Lyric Contest Winners

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Congratulations to all of our January/February 2019 winners! Click here to enter the March/April 2019 contest.

1st Place
“Evangeline”
by Jeremy Dion
Lafayette, CO

An ocean town
The kind where you’re known around
And everyone heard
What your sister said last night
In the days before
I was standing outside your door
Hoping there’s way
To make this turn out right

Evangeline, Evangeline
Either bring the water
Or the gasoline
Pay no mind
To all you’ve seen
Please bring the water
Evangeline

Those tales we’d tell
Standing ‘round by the wishing well
With one more penny
Then it’s all just riding on the dime
Soft and low
How I loved it when you told me so
But words don’t matter
When you’re running short on time

Evangeline, Evangeline
Either bring the water
Or the gasoline
Pay no mind
To all you’ve seen
Please bring the water
Evangeline

All the people in their places
They pass the time with honest faces
The morning bird
Had me hanging on to every word
But not a tear before she flew away
We loved the same
But that picture never found a frame
Now I’m aching baby
And begging you to stay

Evangeline, Evangeline
Either bring the water
Or the gasoline
Pay no mind
To all you’ve seen
Please bring the water
Evangeline

2nd Place
“I Never Wanted This Song”
by Joe Colavito
Ringwood, NJ

Patricia said we’re not forever,
We’re just like the stars in the sky,
We pretend there’s always tomorrow,
But we’re always saying goodbye.

Now I close my eyes and remember,
I see pictures that ran through my mind,
I wanted to tell her I loved her
With words that I never could find,
I was just chasing the music,
But why did it take me so long,
I only wanted Patricia,
I never wanted this song.

Sometimes she pretended to listen,
Sometimes she led me on,
I didn’t care where we were going,
As long as she took me along,
She brought me the light every morning,
She brought me the stars every night,
When she smiled I knew she was with me,
When she smiled it made everything right.

Patricia said we’re not forever,
We’re just like the stars in the sky,
We pretend there’s always tomorrow,
But we’re always saying goodbye.

She stepped away from the shadows,
She had to get out of the cold,
But she couldn’t wait there forever,
She said we’re too young to grow old,
When I couldn’t see it was over,
When there was no time for goodbye,
I just kept turning the pages,
I just kept closing my eyes.

Closing my eyes to remember,
The pictures that ran through my mind,
I wanted to tell her I loved her,
With words that I never could find,
I was just chasing the music,
But why did it take me so long,
I only wanted Patricia,
I never wanted this song.

Patricia said we’re not forever,
We’re just like the stars in the sky,
We pretend there’s always tomorrow,
But we’re always saying goodbye.

3rd Place
“Good Morning Sunday”
by Adam Scott-Wakefield
Nashville, TN

I wish I could say I had some profound revelation
And through sheer force of will took control of my soul’s destination
But I just tripped over the dog and the bottle fell from my hand
Now it’s in pieces, on the floor, so here I am

Good morning Sunday man, it’s sure been a while.
This time last week I was sleeping it off on the bathroom tile
I forgot how your sun felt on my face
And the sound of the birds in the choir
Good morning Sunday I know it’s been a while

It’s Past time, that old, triple O, got some new strings
I should stop by ma’s place and see if she needs anything
I could call up my old boss, see if he’s got some work for me
And maybe I’ll see you again, same place, same time, next week

4th Place (tie)
“Horses”
by Eric Garcia
Miami, FL

My old man’s got horses.
Tiny horses running through his veins.
They give him no choices.
They just wanna run for days.
But, his race is over.
He can’t even win, place, or show.
He hates them damn horses.
Too fast for him to let go.
Got nuthin to live for,
Except seein Mamma at Heaven’s door.
Worked so hard, but now he’s poor.

Broken body, broken time, broken dreams,
Them horses whine.

They say, “If wishes were horses…”
Well then, “…beggars would ride.”
My pop ain’t no beggar.
He asks real nice to die.
Some folks they get lucky.
Ghosts float lighter with no pride.
Them folks don’t have horses
Keepin my Mamma from their side.
Raindrops at his window.
Ghosts tap dance, don’t you know.
Wheelchairs and old stories,

They feed the horses, feed the foal.
They keep grass green inside his soul.

In ’66 he sold her
The powder blue Ford of her dreams.
Damn sure it was a Mustang
Four-speed Fastback made my Mamma scream.
See, the Devil, he’s funny.
He’ll let a joke sit for years.
Turned love into horses.
Love stories into lonely fears.
I’d take my switchblade and
Dig the memory from my eyes.
But still I’d hear them horses.

Running all night, running free.
That jockey Devil laughs at me.

So, I’ll tend to his horses.
Till his hard soul breaks their legs.
They hate it when I come over
And kiss my old man on his head.
I don’t know how much more time
Or races he’s got left to run.
I wouldn’t bet on his horses.
But you can bet I’m one proud son.
They don’t build them no tougher
Or even make that model no more.
Soon, he’ll ride them horses.
Right to Mama’s house, you know.
Blowin right through Heaven’s door.
Smilin all the way for sure.
Ride on, Daddy! Go, go, go!

4th Place (tie)
“Stars and Satellites”
by Nitanee Paris
Malibu, CA

Green flash on the oceans waves
Slow motion makes the colors fade
The wind will wash our whispered words away
We said all there is to say
Now all that’s left are cosmic rays
And secrets that explode and radiate

Hush now be quiet now
Silence is a welcome sound
By the dawn
By the dawn, oh
I’ll be gone
I’ll be gone, far

I always belonged to the sky
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
When your eyes are looking up at night
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
See flashes of me passing by
Like stars and satellites
Like stars and satellites

Drifting now through space and time
Far beyond the starting line
A billion years and still I shine, I shine

Hush now be quiet now
Silence is a welcome sound
By the dawn
By the dawn, oh
I’ll be gone
I’ll be gone, far

Honorable Mention

“Steady”
by Bridget Appicello
Washington, PA

“Band of Brothers”
by Grant Samuels
South Yunderup, Australia

“Love Is the Holy Grail”
by Siobhan O’Brien
Alexandria, VA

“Wrong Star”
Eric Jones
New York, NY

“Hope Is On The Highway”
Kimberly McCoy
Coram, MT

“Come Again Another Day”
Faith Senie
Charlestown, NH

“Dandelion Wine”
Sandra DeVault
Chester, MD

“Midnight Memory”
Tyler Shafer
Norman, OK

“God Gave Her Boys”
James Lake
Winfield, IL