A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left

Andrew Bird

Over prescribed
under the mister
we had survived to
turn on the history channel
and ask our esteemed panel
why are we alive
and here's how they replied
you're what happens when two substances collide
and by all accounts you really should've diedstretched out on the tarmac
six miles south of North Platte
he can't stand to look back
at sixteen tons of HAZMAT
and it's what goes
undelivered undelivered
and it's a nervous tic motion of the head to the leftit's a nervous tic motion of the head to the left
exorcise your cells till you're bereft
'cause it's a nervous tic motion of the head to the left
splayed out on a bathmat
six miles north of South Platte
and he just wants his life back
what's in that paper knapsack
it's what goes undeliveredover imbibed
under the mister
barely alive wecover the blisters in flannelthough the words we speak
are banalnot one of them's a lie
not one of them's a lie
you're what happens when two substances collide
and by all accounts you really should've
died