Scratch, Scratch, Scratch
Cat's Dance of Chaos: Vic Chesnutt's Tale in Scratch, Scratch, Scratch
Lyrics
Scratch, scratch, scratch
Scratching sound symbolizing restlessness or anxiety
Goes the cat on the carpet
Imagery of a cat scratching on the carpet, possibly reflecting agitation or unease
She stepped in the blue water bowl
Narrator's observation of someone stepping in a blue water bowl, a mundane incident
Twitch, twitch, twitch goes my eyelid
Narrator experiences eye twitching, a physical manifestation of stress or tension
My tongue in a cavity hole
Personal discomfort or unease, represented by the tongue in a cavity hole
I lost my passport one hairy night
Narrator recounts losing a passport during a night with hairiness, indicating a chaotic situation
I think they found it in the bald-bulb light
Passport found under a bald-bulb light, suggesting an unexpected discovery in an ordinary place
Now I wait calmly in the holiday cold
Narrator calmly waits in cold weather during the holiday season
My love is lent out, tucked in a skin fold
Expression of love being lent out, possibly referring to emotional detachment or distance
My love is lent out, tucked in a skin fold
Repetition of the previous line, emphasizing the theme of love being distant
There goes my baby
Mention of the narrator's baby, possibly introducing a personal relationship element
Not really in the middle of the murder
Narrator not directly involved in a murder, distancing from a serious event
Surely left of center of the swirl
Positioning away from the center of chaos, suggesting a detached perspective
I bolster my conviction as a character reference
Narrator strengthens their conviction with a reference to character, using a sweetie-neatie drop of pearl
With a sweetie-neatie drop of pearl
Symbolic use of a drop of pearl to enhance the narrator's character or integrity
The crowd at the courthouse
Reference to a crowd at a courthouse passing around the flu, suggesting shared discomfort or tension
Passed around the flu
Imagery of steamy faces and shock in a parking lot, depicting the aftermath of a significant event
Blew through steamy faces
Individuals freezing and doing Sunday suit paces, possibly symbolizing a somber mood
Still in shock in the parking lot
Continuation of the parking lot scene, reinforcing a sense of shock or disbelief
Freezing, doing Sunday suit paces
Blank line, potential pause or transition in the narrative
Then we were dismissed
Dismissal from the courthouse, marking a change in the situation
And I drove alone to a friend's
Narrator drives alone to a friend's, possibly seeking solace or support
Then we were dismissed
Repetition of the dismissal line, reinforcing the shift in the narrative
And I drove alone to a friend's
Narrator continues to drive alone to a friend's, possibly emphasizing the need for companionship
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