Pick Fights

the best chance to pick fights
 is in the midwest
 with your mouth fat
 on your own words
 in the parking lots
 of the worst clubs
 with fresh laid asphault
 and flourescent lights that flicker.
 while the boys drink courage
 and the girls show their navals and toes,
 you don't need no curses,
 no squinched up nose
 or turned up top lip,
 no cut throat kicking
 kids' sandcastles,
 spit, and "fuck you" talk.
 you need only to arrive
 at your own show in
 glasses and open-toe sandals
 and step out the van all
 weak with a tour-worn voice
 when you try to speak.
 with your mouth fat
 on your own words
 but you can't be heard
 over the noise of the opening act,
 some wack rapper coming off c.d.
 could've been me
 back before we
 practiced for the mush tour.