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She was born in an oil-drum |
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South side of |
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ChicagoWhen |
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East St. Louis was not far away |
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She'd lace knives to her boots and go down to the riverbed |
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Skate around and around till the night became day |
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The cannery fellows would follow her everywhere |
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From the grocery store to the |
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B.Q.EWith their hearts all aglow from her icy back at you stare |
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Then her teeth became tight when her eyes couldn't see |
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And she told herself that this was enough |
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For a girl who was born in an oil drum |
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She had her skates didn't need lots of stuff |
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She didn't need it but she still wanted some |
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She had one thing that she liked and she kept around |
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She would take it with her to the riverbed |
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As she skated around she always thought |
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Of a pretty sound that she heard as a girl |
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In her mother's bed |
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The sound of some breathing another breath |
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In and out when some lungs expand and contract like they do |
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And she looked at herself in the ice of the riverbed |
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And she saw a girl one which she could see through |
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And she told herself that this was enough |
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For a girl who was born in an oil drum |
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She had her skates didn't need lots of stuff |
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She didn't need it but she still wanted some |
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She still wanted some she still needed some |
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She still wanted some she still needed some |