Tony Asaro: Music

• MP3 play whole song, hi-fi (broadband)

January seventh
Thirteen years of visits since you shuffled off this mortal coil;
Your casket blessed with chrism oil.
January seventh
Thirteen years ago became your “say-goodbye-to-life-on-earth” day,
Not your cousin’s sixteenth birthday.

A man of twenty-nine now stands before you:
A sequel to that kid who did adore you.
The things I’ve done this year, I’ve done them for you,
Because I swore you would one day be proud of me.

In my songs, Mark.
Ev’ry single composition
Chasing after your ambition.
In my songs, Mark.
In my soul your voice is ringing.
Now, at last, we both are singing.
In my songs, Mark,
You will live on.
You will live on.


January seventh
Aunt Louise and Papa Vince now occupy this mausoleum.
Tell ‘em “Hi,” if you should see ‘em.
January seventh
Wonder if there’s anybody left to come and bring you flowers.
No fam’ly’s buried more than ours.

So many relatives along these hallways,
And here’s the cousin/nephew/son like always.
Observing yearly morbid protocol weighs
Me down in small ways, but I want you proud of me.

In my songs, Mark.
Ev’ry verse and ev’ry chorus
Praising those who came before us.
In my songs, Mark.
Pairing words and notes together
Is my freedom and my tether.
In my songs, Mark,
You all live on.
You all live on.

I am defined by the fam’ly that was
As an artist and a man.
I write the songs for my fam’ly because
I can.

In my songs, Mark.
From eternal ever-after
I invoke your tears and laughter
In my songs, Mark.
And I know that when you listen
It’s like Holy Water christen-
-ing my songs, Mark.
Our songs, Mark—
Our songs, Mark—
They will live on.