Villanelle: What Song Should I Sing Today?

What song should I sing today?

My friends send me youtube videos—
I get out my mandolin and play.

No one sent Lay, Lady, Lay—
I hacked out that song years ago.
So what song should I sing today?

Gimme Shelter’s one, I’ll say,
writhing like a garden hose—
it's just a mando-shot away.

Wheel’s on Fire in the key of A,
Shag, Mamma, Shag—some easy blues—
those’ll be songs I'll sing today.

Mercy Seat by Nick Cave—
I gave my love a blasted rose—
but I get out my mandolin and play.

Years I discovered I was gay,
I listened quite a lot to those
songs I can still sing today.
I get out my mandolin and play.