Eleanor Friedberger
A Long Walk
In the fall I waited
In the fall I was silent
In the fall I had an answer
But in spring I cried for you
I’m through with the seasons
And done with the sun
And the huge uncertainties;
Go eastward no one
The bricks singled out
When a building crumbles
Oh everything is ruining February!
We met up this morning
And laced up our walking shoes
First we fortified ourselves
With coffee and some juice
Weighing up the options
We set out for the day
We didn’t take umbrellas
‘Cause they’d just get in the way
It was almost nine o'clock
I said we’re going on a long, long, long, long walk
And when you started talking
I forgot that you get in the way
I couldn’t stop laughing
And our shoulders ricocheted
And all the local buskers
We gave them all our notes
We’d muddle through til dusk
Then we’d huddle in our coats
It was almost ten o'clock
And we were going on a long, long, long, long walk
And we didn’t worry or hurry
Or argue about which route to take
I forgot how to cross the road
But the drivers still know how to brake
And you told your little story
The one I’ve heard before
As I looked at our reflection
Windowshopping the department store
Hey look it’s eleven o'clock
In the morning of our long, long, long, long, long walk
In the fall I waited
In the fall I was silent
In the fall I had an answer
But in spring I cried for you
We improvised a silly song
And it worked just like a charm
I pulled you closer into me
And we were walking arm in arm
And no one noticed
When we leaned against a tree
You whispered a suggestion
‘Cause you knew that I’d agree
It was almost three o'clock
In the afternoon of our long, long, long, long walk
We weren’t paying attention
And ended where we hadn’t planned
Then we found that just by chance
We were walking hand in hand
We didn’t detach ourselves
Or catch the perfect view
But we kissed in front of strangers
Like regular lovers do
It was getting dark at five o'clock
In the evening of our long, long, long, long walk
I stopped to catch my breath
And turning ‘round you’re gone
But there this:
You know I’d bend to kiss
The ground we walked upon
And I was tired of walking
So I took the bus back home
We left my place together
But I wrote this song alone
It was only nine o'clock
I said we’re going on a long, long, long, long, long walk
[Outro](x8)
Long, long, long, long, long, long walk