Blue Mermaid Dress

It's quarter to four
My mind is awake
Its finding the pathways that memories take
I find you the way I remember you best
On Burnt Island lake in your blue mermaid dress

I remember you sitting there in the door
It was August of nineteen ninety four
The summer we swam in the green reservoir
There was a song in the hollow of every guitar
All our love yet unmade
All our wine yet to drink
All the fresh garden basil in your kitchen sink
I remember you sitting crouched in the door
There's no you to even sing this to anymore
Where you are now
I can't even guess
But I remember you
In your blue mermaid dress

Your blue mermaid dress always got in our way
Like your hair in our mouths in the heat of the day
I remember you loved to jump from rock to rock
I remember you on your cottage dock
Where we rolled and made love and we laughed all day
Our laughter ricocheted all around the bay
Your blue mermaid dress all around your waist
I wanted you for so long
And you gave me a taste

I built us a fire
Remember that?
Sam Cooke was singing That's Where Its At
Aretha knew just how I made you feel
And suddenly all of their music was real
But songs all resolve
They come back to the one
While people just live with the damage they've done
Every song that I've loved
I count as my friend
Not even the band knows how this one will end
Cause where you are now
I can't even guess
But I remember you
In your blue mermaid dress

Its quarter to five
And my friends are asleep
These are the hours that memories keep
I was always a nighthawk
But I'm sleeping less
Remembering you in your blue mermaid dress