Bright Lanterns

We have clear blue waking skies

And the morning after

And memories of gold on the run

Flying around

Was there a drunken cloud

Over someone just empty

A vision of a mountain you say

So where did it go?

It was light and I held it like a child to be saved

From the fires and from the falling down satellites

But still wondering

"Damn, you always treat me like a stranger, mountain

Though you’ve seen the shadow between the city and what is mine

And fallen kids, all rising mad among their lost believers

Suddenly darker in their eyes and their broken smiles

It’s only what these kids will haul around"

Oh, there’s a lot of selling land for hungry feet of answers

And medicine for balance and things like seeing your ghosts

So thank god we’re bright, said the lantern’s brother,

'Cause I don’t know a thing about boats, or the land I see…

It was day and I stood there once again, climbing equipped

When I knew you were the one throwing dying stars

On our gathering

But he said

"Damn, you always treat me like a mountain, stranger

Though I have never seen your shadows or fading lights

I’m just a rock that you’ll be picking up through all your ages

Always believing there’s a canyon for every blind

It’s only what these kids will haul around"