Thanksgiving

Oh Thanksgiving, the harvest draws to a close
Pride of man will swallow him, for he reaps what he sows
Oh living, it’s harder every day
Only in the darkness can you see you’ve lost your way

I recollect the Rose of Sharon had come back again
The trees were blowing in the breeze all high above my head
When a cavalcade of memories appeared to me in words I wished I’d said
From that point on a song stayed in my thoughts most of the time
But when I tried to sing it out loud it would always leave my mind
Like the things you know are true, but never can explain when you get asked
A melody floating just within your grasp, it goes…

When I was a child I always remember
The way I would feel, 4th Thursday November
My uncles would play, there would be music
And I was taking it in
Only much later, I noticed the drinking
The feeling my family was growing and sinking
St. Petersburg Palace stained glass in sun
They were well on their way I had only begun

So boy meets a girl, Venus and Adonis
Friendship on fire, adulthood upon us
They teach you to fly, then spend all of their time
Standing over you, clipping your wings
Where there was a me, there could be an us
I dreamt about money, she talked about trust
She is my axis, death is by foxes
And we were well on our way

In America, this is home
Stories, everybody’s got one
This is mine, you will have your own
Nothing like the real thing, nothing like it

Cleaner than Christmas or our wedding day
I knew her father was pissed, though he wouldn’t say it
I would be too and someday I will be
No kid could be good enough
Taking on Sunday, taking on owls
Catching a glimpse of the wolf as it howls
Got a lot of nice things, got a really nice house
Done is so beautiful
On Father’s Day, I’m thinking of mothers
I can only suppose they’re thinking of others
Insurance is up, it came in the mail
Yeah it kills me what they’re charging for little white pills

I blow through the years like a mother defending its own
And I fear, I’m driving on spare tires
Seems like I’ll never get home, like I’ll never get home
Like I’m getting threadbare
I can’t find my way, she showed me the map
I still can’t believe I acted like that
Just follow your heart up past most of the brain
If you get lost at reason, move down past pain
I’ll see you in court, bring your raincoat
I’m keeping the kids, I’m keeping the house
It takes minutes to make us a baby
And years to remember what that was about

In America, this is home
Stories, everybody’s got one
When we die what will we have done?
Nothing like the real thing, nothing like it

It’s snowing in April, something’s changing in me
It’s the sound of a heart getting clean baby
I traded in booze for loads of caffeine
And my friends they traded in me
Another Thanksgiving and I’m all alone
My favorite holiday and nobody’s home
No shame in the past, no pride in the future
I know, believe I know
Those years we spent talking, learning to agree
The truth is I’m just thankful you tolerated me
So many thorns, not enough roses
My girls as they sleep, the eye as it closes
This year for Thanksgiving I’m keeping my list short
No one gets married, no one gets divorced
Can you imagine?
What if the world could stand still for even a day?
If there was no crime, no rape and no killing
Addictions suspended, no cutting or drilling
If everyone took the day off and hung out with their friends
Their favorite friends
I know what you’re saying, it’s not realistic
I’ve heard it my whole life, look at the statistics
But lucky for us, I’m not a guy that gives up
I never give up, I go…
Oh Thanksgiving, the harvest draws to a close
Redemption is a bugle humility composed
Sweet forgiveness, thawing across frozen ground
Casting light eternally, carrying its sound