Amy Speace

Drive all night, drive all night, drive all night. Drive all night, drive all night, drive all night. Summer’s gonna end before it begins, drive all night. Running out again, let the right one in, drive all night. Get to you before sunlight, I don’t even care if this is right. Get to you before it burns, feel my heart beat through every turn. I would drive all night, I would drive all night, I would drive all night. I would drive all night, I would drive all night, I would drive all night. Summer’s gonna end before it begins, I would drive all night. Running out again, let the right one in, I would drive all night. Get to you before sunlight, I only want to feel alive. I think of you from dusk to dawn, feel my heart break before you’re gone. I miss the sunlight on my skin…why’d you let me in? Where you start is where I end…can’t remember when. Would you drive all night, would you drive all night, would you drive all night? Would you drive all night, would you drive all night, would you drive all night? Summer’s gonna end before it begins, would you drive all night? Running out again, let the right one in, would you drive all night? Would you drive all night? I would drive all night.

Not much sleep and not much to see in these bricks and mortar, tearing them down like the walls of your dreams. Fly in circles in a dark sky trying to soar when your wings are broken, right here can’t you find it — there’s a new world — land like a bird. There’s no surprise, the light hurts your eyes when you stare into the sun. Would you have taken that dare if you weren’t ready to die? Fly in circles in a dark sky trying to soar when your wings are broken, right here can’t you find it – there’s a new world. Fly in circles in a dark sky trying to soar when your wings are broken, right here can’t you find it – there’s a new world –land like a bird. Don’t say a word just land like a bird.

The first of March faltered like an ache and the hours blurred together in the grey. She didn’t change the sheets or make the bed, just put her cheek where he once lay. She curled up in the hollow where his skin left a faint trace of mint and leaf, where the cotton held him captive and where she’d watched him sleep. Some people move through our lives and then they’re gone like the morning rain. Some stand with the stillness of a soldier at their post and never change. Some dance along the waterline like waves against the coast. Some forever haunt you like a ghost. February stole more than the snow, bringing early spring to Baltimore. She was surprised to see him after all those years of leaving out the alley door. This time would be different, he swore it with the rapture of a baptized man. His words undressed her loneliness with a gospel built on sand. Some people move through our lives and then they’re gone like the morning rain. Some stand with the stillness of a soldier at their post and never change. Some dance along the waterline like waves against the coast. Some forever haunt you like a ghost. Oh my love, stay. Oh my love, I can wait. Some people move through our lives and then they’re gone like the morning rain. Some stand with the stillness of a soldier at their post and never change. Some dance along the waterline like waves against the coast. Some forever haunt you like a ghost.

I saw the sun rise this morning from the far end of the wing, and the shadow on the clouds left by the plane. Following the geese leading out of Michigan, in the dusty sky I traced your name. Leaving in the dark as the fog rolled out her mist like a shroud on the sleeping lake, leaving more behind me than I arrived here with — half asleep and wide awake, half asleep and wide awake. Who would see it coming: the movement of the stars, the falling and collision in the meeting of the heart? You had to have some magic or some tricks up in that sleeve, rolled up to your elbow in the seams, or locked inside the canyon lines etched around your eyes, guarding some mystery. You were like a satellite carving out your arc, orbiting the midnight moon and I watched you from the fireside, I watched you play guitar, and I think I fell a little bit too. Who would see it coming: the movement of the stars, the falling and collision in the meeting of the heart? My lips above your mouth were breathing in and out of time. Tomorrow you’ll fly your way, I’ll trail these birds south and I’ll see you next time. But I never saw that coming: the movement of the stars, the falling and collision in the meeting of our hearts. I saw the sun rise this morning from the far end of the wing and the shadow on the clouds left by the plane. Leaving more behind me than I arrived here with half asleep and wide awake…

You said it once I know, you told me on the phone. This shit is old as dirt, broken skin and bone. You know the door to crack, you know the walls to show, in the room you’ve made but don’t outgrow. When you ever gonna change for –when you ever gonna change for me? When you ever gonna change for– when you ever gonna change for me? The way you choose your words, dry as desert thirst– I may not seem as strong, but I lived here first. This house is paper-thin, the glass is never full. You know the parts to push, the strings to pull. When you ever gonna change for — when you ever gonna change for me? When you ever gonna change for — when you ever gonna change for me? We rode that ride at least a hundred times, up and down, holding on, side by side. No one wins when someone has to lose. Is it gonna be me? Is it gonna be you ? Can you hear me now?…When you ever gonna change for — when you ever gonna change for me? When you ever gonna change for — when you ever gonna change for me?

Its too late to call it a night, all this time I’ve been lost in your eyes. Why don’t you stay, we can finish the wine? Its too late to call it a night. Is it just me and you, when did everyone leave? Look at us like we knew how good this could be. My, oh my, would you look at the time. Honey, its too late to call it a night. Is that light in the sky the sun coming up? Could it be, do you believe, that we’re falling in love? My, oh my, would you look at the time. Honey, its too late to call it a night.

The roses of the Philippines stretch across Manila Street, bursting with the vanity of summer rain: cardinal and cinnamon, damask, wine, vermillion — the patchwork mask of Harlequin in a parade. He woo’s the lady with his dance, like your thorny eloquence — I wish for things I cannot ask of you to say. I count the days from then to this: when you woke me with a kiss — to the day when I won’t miss you like I do today. How will I know when to let it go, let it fall as soft as snow, maybe then. How will I know when I’m over you, when tears give way to something new, maybe then I’ll love again. I dig the earth upon my knees, geraniums and peonies, lavender and rosemary to fill the hours. Planting roots to catch and start and distract my hurting heart, surrendering to the art of blooming flowers. How will I know when to let it go, let it fall as soft as snow, maybe then, maybe then. Maybe I’ll know when I’m over you, when tears give way to something new, and maybe then I’ll love again. And so the petals bloom and fade, curling up in morning shade, I still wish for words I’ll never hear you say. I count the days from then to this — when you woke me with a kiss –to the day when I won’t miss you like I do today.

Candlesticks and battened hatches, deck of cards and waterproof matches. We’ll sail on, through the storm, come what may. We’ve got all we need, no reason to be afraid. When the world’s been raining, raining, raining cats and dogs. When the world’s been flooded, flooded all the dry land is gone. All we’ve got left is each other and this boat we’re on. Now give a kiss and bat those lashes. I’ll check the knots and find where the flask is. Our clothes are worn, so we’ll stay warm, come what may. We’ve got all we need, no reason to complain. When the world’s been raining, raining, raining cats and dogs. When the world’s been flooded, flooded all the dry land is gone. All we’ve got left is each other and this boat we’re on.

As I lose the love of my life I had to lose, I had to lose, I wouldn’t choose to step out of the fight, I had to lose, I had to lose. Just to find a way to be myself I had to lose, I had to lose, so I tried ’til I had nothing left, I had to lose, I had to lose. Back under the grey sky, take a little of my time to get clear. Back in my own bed, all alone in my head playing solitaire. It was time to give up keeping score, I had to lose, I had to lose, just to find what I was fighting for, I had to lose, I had to lose. Back under the grey sky,
take a little of my time to get clear. Back in my own head, all alone in my bed playing solitaire. As I lose the love of my life I had to lose, I had to lose, I wouldn’t choose to step out of the fight, I had to lose, I had to lose.

I woke up on Galbraith Street where the houses stood like twins, oh and even though the door’s been closed I can find a way to get back in. For in daydreams, my mind returns like a ghost upon the hill as I knock upon old doors again and find my friends all live there still. So many good times to speak of in a life, but none compared to the good times I had there. The world looks so much brighter when you believe in every word. Now I’m holding on to all those years like a tear before it falls unheard. So many goodbyes to speak of in a life but none compared to the goodbyes I said there. The sun went down on Galbraith Street, I saw it from my childhood bed, as the red and gold brick houses stood underneath a crimson sky that bled.

Watch — watch the sun go down, landing on the ground near the line of trees,
where the shadowspill of light brings an early night, dark enough to see. We sit on the edge, behind the fence daring the gravity above. Am I falling to you, are you falling to me? Every second there’s more than I can see. Are we losing control, is this vertigo? We step out of bounds, on uneven ground, running away. My heart can’t hold the weight, the crash or the break, keeping this pace. The very first time — your skin against mine, you hold my hand so tightly. Am I falling to you, are you falling to me? Every second there’s more than I can see, so don’t let me go in this vertigo. I want it all — I want it, I want it. I want it more than I’ve ever wanted. I want it all — I want it ,I want it. I want it more than I’ve ever wanted. This is just like a play, the predictable stage we’re living on. And faith can’t tame the stars, those flickering scars that cover our bones. And we trip on our feet, we fumble our speech, we choose the ones we never reach. But I’m falling to you and you’re falling to me — every second there’s more than we can see — I know I’m losing control, I wanna lose control, don’t let me go in this vertigo.

Between the cracks I break my back to wave the flag that you stare at. This is our glory, this is our story, this is a real love song. These are our fireworks, our hands in the dirt, this is a real love song. Teeth for miles a crooked smile. So hard to trust what is enough. This is our glory, this is our story, this is a real love song. These are our fireworks, our hands in the dirt, this is a real love song. Our war is cruel can anyone see who’s a friend or the enemy? A king, a clown, both wear the crown. A battle hymn for even ground. This is our glory, this is our story, this is a real love song. These are our fireworks, our hands in the dirt, this is a real love song. This is a real love song. This is a real love song.