Battlefords

another summer wasted in the battlefords
on a banana seat bike with a hockey card in the spokes
a friend of ours who's dad stopped his car by said that ""he better get home""
he said ""you're gonna get a beating. you're gonna get the beating of your life""

nutrasweet and fresca and pop shop
and all the best of what a baby sitter could afford
with enough negotiation and freckled smile

another summer wasted here in the battlefords
our dust coated freezie stained lips
and lawn darts in the yard
and the richest guy in town drives his new lincoln drunk on the old dusty streets
balancing a snifter of gin on the edge of his knee

rocky road and tiger tail and bubble gum
and all the rest of them that a baby sitter could afford
with the right negotiation and freckled smile

they say that wealth is revealed in the teeth
that's we're all wearing braces
and dirty fingernails
that a good akela wouldn't approve of

not another broken arm in this heat
he fell bringing pop and chips home one handed
we weren't invincible
and the sensei said ""he'll sit out the tournament""

another summer wasted here in the battlefords
dad shakes his head at the car
that's been sitting on blocks for years

and the weird kid who smoked two cigarettes playing bingo
then his mom came to his rescue
she stood up and chided everyone with her finger outstretched
saying ""you're not the boss of him""

ring pops, banana runts, popeye cigarettes
and everything that's best that a baby sitter could afford
with the right negotiation and a freckled smile

they say that wealth is revealed in the teeth
that's we're all wearing braces
and dirty fingernails
that a good akela wouldn't approve of

not another broken arm in this heat
he fell bringing pop and chips home one handed
we weren't invincible
and the sensei said ""he'll sit out the tournament""

nobody really asked for this, no
the sensei said he'll sit out the tournament

nobody asked for this, no
the sensei said he'll sit out the tournament

another summer wasted here in the battlefords
your mom says to go get outside
and don't come back till it's dark

they say that wealth is revealed in the teeth
that's why we're all wearing braces
and dirty fingernails
that a good akela wouldn't approve of

not another broken arm in this heat
he fell bringing pop and chips home one handed
we weren't invincible
and the sense said he'll sit out the tournament