ashes fell like snow
drifting down aimlessly
silently one landed in her hair
but her eyes were fixed on the fire
a great rushing crackling tortured sound
as the building burned
we could only stand and watch
can still feel its heat on my face

years pass
with the seasons laying a great drift
of leaves and tangle of vines on the ruins
sticking up out of the rough sea of dead debris
the twisted remains of a child's school desk
the frame of it jutting out of the snow
melting in the spring breeze
a muted shout of metal

the jungle gym overtaken by weeds
and the swings just a rusted frame
i clamber up the top to see the vista
but only gain another perplexing view of ashen earth

we walk down the broken path
to the small house
its broken window a haven for a thrush
and nestled in its brick doorway
a rusty clowns head
battered and leaning over
the grin lost in reddish decay

we sit in the room we love
in the small broken house
really no more than a child's playhouse
while the summer air gathers in close to us
thick and filled with heavy summer scents
the sun piercing the room like a hot razorblade

she wont look at me
only sits mumbling a song unrecognized
till the words slip clear of old nursery rhyme
i fear for her fragile sanity's
she unbuttons her shirt
sweat pours from her like spring rain
she finally looks at me
and with a vacant diabolical tone
tells me she wants to hurt me in ways
no-one else can
unhinged

as dusk litters the field
we come to stand where we stood that night
come to relive once more our thoughts
and words
as we watched it burn
symbolically i place a small grey paper in her hair
for the ashes that fell like tears
symbolically she raises a single forlorn cry
asking that i save someone
but there is no one to be saved
we are a lifetime too late
symbolically we weep

the twisted iron
in the rubble rebuffs our desire for comfort
the leaden sky
denies our desire to close this terrible thing
leave it behind

as nights restless hand pushes us
back to the small house
she takes my hand
silently forgiving us both
for having only been children
when our world burned to the ground

aware of the hard tangle
i decided id better be off just cutting losses
picked up what she had left of me
what the vultures hadn't picked clean
and walked into the forevermore
but it felt good to have nothing left to steal
nobody questions your deal

found myself a stranger in a strange land
and nothing but a humble song to guide
nothing but the smile to provide
learn yourself the difference real quick
tween what you got and the next friendly face
and how long the two last
gone like a sparkle in the sun
but it felt good to have nothing left to steal
nobody questions your deal

gonna write me a new song to sing
one that wont lead me into the darker thinkin
one that speaks to the real road ya gotta travel
one that has lovers with loves to share
and all thouse who care
cause the real treasure is the smile uncovered
in the hands of a soul who really wants to know your name
i got nothing left of the old me
but it feels good to have nothing left to steal
nobody gonna question my deal

she has dangerous thoughts
in her hello kitty slippers
she shines when thouse around her can only sparkle
there are dark angels in her stuffed bear collection
shes a gothic stoner emo-warrior princess
she wants to be heard
and its dreamy things shes gonna say
shes sketched in beautiful ways in my heart

the long day done at long last
watching as the sun sails into night
watching as the street folds up its day faces
the ones of good cheer
peddlers of balloon cotton candy mysticals
the ones who have traveled to the far reaches
seen more than tongue can tell
the wanderers of the ancient and magical
listen as these deep souls speak
like a quiet song loud as the wind and sea
then listen to the young souls speak
with laughter and tears
deeper living to be done is what they sing
let us set aside the rights and wrongs
of what divided us
lets breath deep the gathering evening tide
and join them in believing and living
in the forgiving lovin sun
take off that anger you wear with such fear
mask that you hide behind
and lets fly in the stars
like the lovers of ancient world
with our very souls

but theres so much noise in my head
telling me five different directions to run
real quick fore something catches up with
untangle the mind
to discover the narrow distance
tween whatcha thinking and how it feels
my heads all cloudy cause my hearts caught
in the backwash of somebody else's fearful fall from grace
catch her like a broken angel
only to watch her fly free and clear
while i slug it out in the mud of misunderstanding
just wanna get back to the drawing inside the lines
get back to where it all went according to plan
cause i'm foolish enough to have a plan to go wrong
she swings by my emotional wreckage
trying to lend a hand
guess thats part of the mad scheme
called love

child
and there in his hand
balloon of bright colors
not even rain will damp that smile
come on shine like a child's mind
all that darkness you feel is just state of mind
if anyone can smile in the rain you can
he is as free as happiness could be
in the living breathing dream of his balloon
no lonely dreamers in a child's eyes
all just strange wonderful stories in the
wondrous playhouse we call a world
come on shine like a child's mind
our toys will all too soon fade away
let us rejoice in our laughter
rejoice in eachothers dream
child at heart is who i am
lets go find you a balloon
so you can shine like a child's mind