running in the dark, a lightning strike, a boom and crash,  

white and dark clash, tears running down his face,

father: if only you hadn’t been so late.

 

out of time and out of mind, locked in tower of white,  

this prison cell for those unwell is where she’ll sleep tonight

father dear, don’t cry for me, its for the best you see.

 

a tiger’s cage with ravenous bite, vultures circling round in the dead of night,

father, okay you’ll be, come the morn you won’t even remember me.

 

when nettles sting and beasts do roam, and waves crash in dense, hard foam,

arms reaching for the cold, sodden sand, no one there to lend a hand,  

and father where were you? now I’m gone, I’ve left you too.   

 

gone, gone, gone away,  

but in mirror’s face his daughter’s eyes

remembered still in spite of lies

haunted by the silent screams  

the sound of door slamming  

against the screen

away she ran on stormy night

to escape the dreaded sounds of  another fight

he followed her tracks,

that desperate flight

as the moon beamed down, a murderous white   

 

He knew as soon as the whistle blew  

he heard the shouts but he felt it too  

through the thicket and thistle she ran  

careless in her path

 

He saw the train that once stalked these tracks

laid still on its haunches, sitting back

It’s victim yet half a mile behind  

before that man in charge had  been inclined  

to rein the great beast back  

he felt the world begin to crack   

the ocean waves came rushing back

and the pressure began to build inside

 

now he wishes it could all be undone  

the knot unraveled, the life unbegun

he wishes for just one more day  

to tell the truth, what he meant to say

but the train rushed fast down those tracks  

and now he’ll never, ever get her back

 

and still the mirror shows his daughter’s face

the sad, sad eyes in the pale face  

a ghost that’s gone yet remembered still

wish what you may and tell what you will  

ashes to ashes and dust to dust  

that father is in all of us

say what you mean, mean what you say  

and treasure every single day

so when life leaves you hanging there  

and all you love dissipates into the air   

remember this saddening tale  

let its lessons ring through every hill and vale

so that when you live your life away

you won’t have to regret a single day.