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Blue Ajay at Dan's Silverleaf, 2 February 2026. Photo by Christina M. Orr.

Silverleaf 2 Feb 2026

Posted by Blue - 12 February 2026

Tags: blog Silverleaf

The Songwriter’s Open Mic at Dan’s Silverleaf Hosted by Justin Collins

Dan’s Silverleaf is home to a weekly Monday-night Songwriter’s Open Mic hosted by Justin Collins.

Justin Collins opening the mic at Dan's Silverleaf, 2 February 2026. — Justin Collins opening the mic at Dan’s Silverleaf, 2 February 2026.

It’s worth a visit just for Justin’s opening performance.

My two songs:

This particular event features, on average, two songs for each performer.

I played two of my newer songs this night.

Got Dirty Eye

This song was inspired by the Denton Songwriters Guild (DSG) prompt for November 2025. The prompt was, “Dirt in my eye”.

Expand for lyrics and details.

Got Dirty Eye

There’s dirt beneath skin
There’s dirt in the eye
There’s dirt that’s crusted like
the remnants of a lie

There’s dirt that flows like gossip
with salt upon the rim
There’s dirt in this puddle
where my memories swim

Got dirty eye
no light gets reflected
See it shift to the side
it fails when inspected
Got dirty eye
See it shift to the side
Got dirty eye
See it redden when denied

There’s dirt in this closet
it cradles these bones
it’s dark and it’s caustic
and the spirits bemoan

Got dirty eye
no light gets reflected
See it shift to the side
it fails when inspected
Got dirty eye
See it shift to the side
Got dirty eye
See it redden when denied
See it redden when denied

Inspired by the November 2025 Denton Songwriters Guild prompt, “Dirt in my eye”.

Words and music by Blue Ajay
Written 22 October 2025
© 2025 Sanity Check Musec ASCAP
Lyrics reprinted with permission

I Did the Weaving

My second song for the night was also inspired by a DSG prompt. The prompt for November 2025 was, “Why not?”

Expand for lyrics and details.

I did the weaving

I’m better as an old man
than I ever was a young one
Why not be better now, why not?

There was a narrative
I changed that narrative
I’m the narrator, so why not?

Slip the tangle
of the threads
of this web in which I’m caught
I did the weaving, so why not?

Making changes
maybe growing
Some are slight and some are showing
I do beseech myself, why not?

Why not lift my head
Why not leave this bed
or dress it up in a brand-new style

I’m auditing my habits
some are recent stowaways
and some I’ve carried for a while

Maybe zig instead of zag
take a detour from the plot
maybe leave the boorish bits behind

Cut self-flagellating back
give myself a little slack
show myself some kindness in my mind

it’s my stick
it’s my carrot
it’s my rod &
I can spare it
suspend recriminations, why not?

I grew the tree from which
I cut this lesson switch
Don’t need these welts upon my back

I can stay this hand
I am a bigger man
Stop stretching these brains are racked

I’m better as an old man
than I ever was a young one
Why not be better now, why not?

There was a narrative, hey
I changed that narrative
I’m the narrator, so why not?

Slip the tangle of the threads
of this web in which I’m caught
I did the weaving, so why not?

Inspired by the December 2025 Denton Songwriters Guild prompt, “Why not?”

Words and music by Blue Ajay
Written Tuesday 9 December 2025 9:45 AM
© 2025 Sanity Check Musec ASCAP
Lyrics reprinted with permission

Snapshots

Christina and I take photographs with our phones. We attempt to snag one or two flattering photos of each performer.

Then I muck up the pix using Hipstamatic.

We can seldom stay until the end of the night, so we don’t usually get photos of the songwriters who perform later in the evening.

– Blue

Host & Singer-Songwriter extraordinaire, Justin Collins.

Leanne Schultz accompanying Patrick Smith

This song was inspired by the Denton Songwriters Guild (DSG) prompt for November 2025. The prompt was, “Dirt in my eye”.

My second song for the night was also inspired by a DSG prompt. The prompt for November 2025 was, “Why not?”

"Got Dirty Eye" was written for the November 2025 DSG meetup.

"I Did the Weaving" was written for the December 2025 DSG meetup.

You can view all DSG related posts via the tag.

Check out the website for Dan's Silverleaf.

You can also view all of my blog posts related to Dan's Silverleaf via the tag.

Pertinent Linkage:

Sanity Check dot Net - longtime smalltime recording artist Blue Ajay

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