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By townes van zandt |
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The old woman finally caught me |
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Sneakin' 'round her cave |
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Her hair looked just like barbwire, boys |
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And her smile just like the grave |
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She asked me could i stay awhile |
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I said i'd better go |
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She slid her arm around my neck |
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And sweetly whispered no |
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It's cold and dark and lonely here |
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As soon enough you'll see |
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I'm oh so glad you stumbled in |
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I've been cravin' company |
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I cannot stay too long you know |
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I left some friends at home |
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Don't you fret about your friends |
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Down here we're all alone |
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What about my mother |
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I can't just leave her there to mourn |
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You don't have to think about her |
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Just forget you were ever born |
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I'll disappoint my father |
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You know he worked so hard for me |
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If you have to pay your father back |
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Just send him some misery |
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I'll miss, i said, a girl i know |
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I can't just leave there to pine |
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She's still got plenty of men to go |
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I'm sure she'll do just fine |
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What about my little boy |
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She said, he's just like you |
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Let a few short years roll by |
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He'll end up down here too |
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Then her pale green eyes began to glow |
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She placed her hand on mine |
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She smiled and said don't worry |
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You'll get used to me in time |
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As her cold tongue flickered toward |
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I spun myself around |
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Made a dive for the passageway |
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But the walls come crashing down |
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Now her eyes were the only light |
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My fevered brain could see |
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But i tore myself away from them |
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And fell down to my knees |
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I've come too far, i can't get back |
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I beseeched the gods of men |
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Fame and fortune just laughed at me |
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Then silence once again |
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A whisper deep within |
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Embrace the god of love |
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I lifted my face and through the tears |
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I saw light fall from above |
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I hurled myself into the wall |
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I ripped and clawed my way |
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Through the stinkin', clingin' loam |
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Back to the light of day |
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I crawled out into the wind again |
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The sky upon my face |
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I heard the earth sigh patiently |
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As it slid back into place |
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Now i'm back among the ones i love |
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I'm loved by them in turn |
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And it's only on the darkest night |
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That green eyed memory burns |
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So walk my friends, in the light of day |
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Don't go sneakin' 'round no holes |
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There justmight be something down there |
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Wants to gobble up your soul |
