Firehouse

[Verse 1]
I've lived in this neighborhood
For twenty-seven years
I know where to get good bagels
And exotic beers
The favorite sidewalk cafes
Where locals like to eat
But I never paid attention to
The firehouse on this street

[Verse 2]
On one side there's a parking lot
The other side a laundromat
Across the street's a small boutique
Where you might find an antique hat
And on the corner an all-night diner
And discount drug store
Where life goes on but not quite like
The way it did before

[Chorus]
At first there was this slender thread
Of optimistic hope
The digging went on round the clock
No one slept, but somehow coped
The photos of the missing men
Were posted on the glass
Of the red door where we said a prayer
Whenever we walked past

[Verse 3]
The wind shifted to the north
Smoke filled our lungs
Stung our eyes, burned our throats
Left a bitter taste upon our tongues
We drank more than we should have
Before we went to bed
Everyone I know had nightmares
Dreams all filled with dread

[Verse 4]
Day blurred into night then day
Then night then day again
"Missing" was the buzzword
Too hard to think it was the end
For young men charging up the stairs
As hell came rolling down
Though logic was not on our side
We thought they'd all be found

[Chorus]
'Cause still there was this slender thread
Of optimistic hope
The digging went on round the clock
No one slept, but somehow coped
The photos of the missing men
Were posted on the glass
Of the red door where we said a prayer
Whenever we walked past

[Bridge]
Neighbors lit votive candles
Laid flowers at the door
Baked casseroles and homemade breads
But wished they could do more
And the guys inside were grateful
But preferred to grieve alone
Though trained to save the lives of others
They could not save their own

[Verse 5]
Maybe next year the pain won't be as sharp
As it is today
Though it will never
Completely go away
And we will talk in terms of
"Before" and "after" the attack
And wish that more than anything
We could bring those brave men back

[Chorus]
Reality sliced cleanly through
That slender thread of hope
The digging just went on and on
Some snapped, most of us still cope
The photos of the missing
Are missing from the glass
Of the red door where we say a prayer
Whenever we walk past
Whenever we walk past