my friend has problems with winter and autumn
they give him prescriptions, they shine bright lights on him
they say it’s genetic, they say he can’t help it
they say you can catch it – but sometimes you’re born with it
my friend has blight he gets shakes in the night
and they say there is no way that they
could have caught it in
time takes its toll on him, it is traditional
it is inherited predisposition
all day i’ve been wondering what is inside of me, who can i blame for it
i say:
it runs in the family, this famine that carries me
to such great lengths to open my legs
up to anyone who’ll have me
it runs in the family, i come by it honestly
do what you want ’cause who knows it might fill me up
my friend’s depressed, she’s a wreck, she’s a mess
they’ve done all sorts of tests and they guess it has something to do with her grandmother’s
grandfather’s grandmother civil war soldiers who
badly infected her
my friend has maladies, rickets, and allergies that she dates back to the 17th century
somehow she manages – in her misery – strips in the city
and shares all her best tricks with
me? well, i’m well. well, i mean i’m in hell. well,
i still have my health
(at least that’s what they tell me)
if wellness is this, what in hell’s name is sickness?
but business is business!
and business
runs in the family, we tend to bruise easily
bad in the blood i’m telling you ’cause
i just want you to know me
know me and my family
we’re wonderful folks but
don’t get too close to me ’cause you might knock me up
mary have mercy now look what i’ve done
but don’t blame me because i can’t tell where i come from
and running is something that we’ve always done
well and mostly i can’t even tell what i’m running from
i run from their pity
from responsibility
run from the country
and run from the city
i can run from the law
i can run from myself
i can run for my life
i can run into debt
i can run from it all
i can run till i’m gone
i can run for the office
and run from the ’cause
i can run using every last ounce of energy
i cannot
i cannot
i cannot
run from my family
they’re hiding inside me
corpses on ice
come in if you’d like
but just don’t tell my family
they’d never forgive me
they’ll say that i’m crazy
but they would say anything if it would
shut me up….

by Amanda Palmer