Back when I was an English major at the University of South Florida, I was taught that the most important thing in writing is theme. Even when writing fiction, and taking on a character and their point of view, you still need theme, and you must stay focused and true to that theme. In poetry classes I learned structure. I think if one looks at my songs both of these are very evident. I guess it's intuitive at this point. Unless the lyric is something close and personal, I look for character and theme. And even then, the structure is all there. Sometimes when I break away from the actual structure of the poetic lyric, I find it hard to memorize my own lyrics, and usually mess them up live. Therefore, I don't break this pattern very often. It works for me. As the band has stressed all original material, the need for breaks in the set, and me doing a few acoustic numbers alone, has grown. With this in mind, I set out to write a few tunes that would work well with only one guitar, one voice, and maybe a harmonica. Also, we'd been playing a little dive filled with rednecky types so I figured a "cowboy" song would be a good fit. I dove in with the theme of a nomadic love, one that not only follows geographic changes, but mood changes as well. As far as structure, I felt again that geography would help move along. The first four verses name actual states (that I have spent time in, by the way), the last sticks to the geography structure by naming topography. I think this song is a perfect example of my lyrical style, in theme, character, and structure.

"Two Gypsies"
There was somethin' 'bout California
Not sure what it was
Might've been in the air
Or the fault line's crooked bust

And there were things about Texas
Made it seem so mean
Maybe it was the climate
Or all the spaces in between

But I never worried, baby, 'bout us
We were two gypsies in love

When we got down to Florida
You seemed kind of scared
When the wind would start blowin'
With wicked rain in the air

And way out in Missouri
'Neath that concrete arch so tall
I felt a little lonesome
'cause we seemed rather small

Still I never worried, baby, 'bout us
We were two gypsies in love

Now the mountains are high
And the rivers run so long
And I'm here playin' my guitar
And singin' this tortured song

Wonderin' the whole time
Where you might be
Believing in the unknown
Forgettin' what I see

And I'm so confused, baby, 'bout us
We were two gypsies in love
But that was so long ago, we've turned to dust
We were two gypsies in love
Whatever happened to the gypsies in love?