The frayed shaft of the sun
Makes the tower in the light jump into falsetto
What do you consider fun?
We can settle in the bandshell and play games with the echo
I wanted to write you a short song
But I didn’t have time
So I wrote you a long one
It made gods of garlic and vine
They say find what you love and let it kill you:
No, find what you love and let it keep you alive
The dawn leapt from its bed and dissolved the stars
We went from counting our blessings to counting cars
And the bars on the window
Anything to keep our heads from our pillows
I wanted to write you a glad song, but I didn’t have time
So I wrote you a sad one
And made gods of garlic and vine
We sat on a bench and watched roses end
Let one oar sweep the water, and the other swept the strand
I shut my mouth, hymning the rising sun
It got sadder and it got weirder, then I was gone
Found this iron bar
Make a spade for me.
With what’s left, make a hoe for me.
With what’s left, make an axe for me.
With what’s left, make a dagger for me.
Won’t be fire, be water next time
Keep a stained-glass conscience and a burrowing mind
We know so few ways to begin a life
So many ways to leave one behind.
I wanted to write you a sad song, but I didn’t have time
So I wrote you a bad one
And made gods of garlic and vine
I wanted to write you a glad song, but I didn’t have time
So I wrote you a sad one
It made gods of garlic and vine.
