there's dust on her face
but she's a girl still
her sensible cotton shirt
is black and loose
and she's so wide now
the dreams and the limbs
strewn across the canvas of her days

cutting into her workman's hands
handles of rough bags
leaving white marks in her blood
still swelling
a little thicker now

stray hairs on her neck
that would have terrified her once
stand proud
just something that's here to stay
and she is not her own
she is her children's blood
and laundry days
and all those times she smiled
through tears
and patted little heads

she's more real the the ocean
she never saw
and just as salty
just as wild

dust and smoke
old bones
and rusty thrones
fade in the mist
our train
heading to a new place
will we be missed?

will we forget the smell
are we destined
forever to dwell
on stories
and words
that swell
out of eyes
and hands
and feet
out of
foggy tunnels
and ***** sleet

pigeons still
wait for meals
by that bench
where Sun once grew
in tufts of gold

girls skipping classes
to window shop
their scarves wild
and their nails chipped

tough boys go out and smoke
and cough and dance
and act brave
and cut their hair
in the dark

and words of a new language
tumble down our tongues
head over heels
tasting strange
but falling into place
after all

The keys are under the garden gnome
Do let yourself in
No need to knock
There's nothing here to win

The tea bags
Are in the flower jar
Please don't let the cat
Wander off too far

And remember
The day
And remember
The way
We smiled


Do you remember
Those October nights
The locks and the lights
And all the angry fights
Do you remember the
Ticktocking satellites?

The Moon was always
Your favorite thing
Silver and pock-marked in the sky
Now all I can think of
Are the echoes of grey
In my scribbled on goodbye

My broken pencils
Your broken sighs
We left it all
Inside our mismatched lives
-Under the tables
And on the stairs
We said our prayers

And I remember
The day
And I remember
The way
We cried


Do you remember
Those October nights
The locks and the lights
And all the angry fights
Do you remember the
Ticktocking satellites?

Inside the house
There are stars
Blinking down from the ceiling
And the cars are zooming
Through the rooms
Like abandoned heirlooms

And you remember
The day
And you remember
The way
We lied


Do you remember
Those October nights
The locks and the lights
And all the angry fights
Do you remember the
Ticktocking satellites?

The night is young
You can still catch the last train
To the Moon or to Spain
I won't run after you
I'm stuck in the slow lane

Do you remember
Those October nights
The locks and the lights
And all the angry fights
Do you remember the
Ticktocking satellites?

I won't be coming after you
I'm stuck in the slow queue