el_oso

there are times that walk from you
like some passing afternoon
summer warmed the open window of her honeymoon
and she chose a yard to burn
but the ground remembers her

there are things that drift away
like our endless numbered days
autumn blew the quilt right off the perfect bed she made
and she's chosen to believe
in the hymns her mother sang
sunday pulls its children from their piles of fallen leaves

there are sailing ships that pass
all our bodies in the grass
springtime calls her children 'til she lets them go at last
and she's chosen where to be
though she's lost her wedding ring

there are things we can't recall
blind at night that finds us all
winter tugs her children in her fragile china dolls
while my hands remember hers
rolling round the shaded fern
naked under secrets still like songs i never learned

there are names across the sea
only now i do believe
sometimes when the windows close you sit and think of me
well she'll mend his tattered clothes
and they'll kiss as if they know
her baby sleeps in all our bones
so scared to be alone

iron & wine - passing afternoon