John's Song

John's song We were always caught between one fire and another from salt and burn to salt and burn And in the rearview mirror I could always see your mother. I asked her if our path was good; I said I’d always love her I wanted her to meet my gaze I asked her is there something braver But her eyes would never waver Off of you or off your brother. Now finally she speaks to me Her voice is low beseeching and all through the years and the spin of the seasons our lonely lives have been defined by tracking down this demon but you have always known that life is lived for other reasons… well you’re barely breathing and your mother is reaching and even if it’s gone from me the echo of my soul Is on some midnight road meandering where apples grow With the buzz of our flickering car radio caught shifting between two stations between the heartripping wail of an electric guitar And some beautiful woman singing blues about salvation fading in and out of one another And they go together And you’re both asleep in the backseat forever. I gave you your weapons and taught you to aim true Seems to me there’s nothing more a father can do We were always caught between one blaze and another Fire ahead and behind us, your mother Was nodding her head – or she was shaking it no Fire behind and now fire below. And even if it’s gone from me the echo of my soul stays on some darkened road meandering where apples grow The buzz of the flickering car radio caught shifting between two stations between the heartripping wail of an electric guitar And some beautiful woman singing blues about salvation fading in and out of one another And they go so together And you’re both asleep in the backseat forever. I’ll be watching my sons sleeping in the backseat forever. – Olivia Chrestomanci,