River

From the album Tigerlily

Young and strong Hollywood son in the early morning light, this star fell down on Sunset Boulevard. Young and strong, beautiful one that we embraced so close is gone, was torn away. Let the youth of America mourn; include him in their prayers. Let his image linger on; repeat it everywhere. With candles, with flowers, he was one of ours.

Why don’t you let him be? He’s gone, we know, give his mother and his father peace. Your vulture’s candor, your casual slander will murder his memory. He’s gone, we know, and it’s nothing but a tragedy. Lay to rest your soul, your body, lay beside your name. Lay to rest your rage, your hunger and amazing grace. With candles, with flowers, you were one of ours, one of ours.

I saw cameras expose your life. I heard rumors explode with lies. I saw children with tears cry and crowd around the sight of where you had collapsed that day, where your last breath and word had been sighed, where your heart had burst where you had died. I saw how they were lost in grieving; all half-believing you were gone. The loss and pain of it, crime and the shame of it, you were gone. It was such a nightmare; raving “how could we save him from himself?”