SchoolNight

                    she went over to his apartment
                           clutching her decision
                           and he said, did you come here to tell me goodbye?
                           so she built a skyscraper of procrastination
                           and then she leaned out the twenty-fifth floor window
                           of her reply
                           and she felt like an actress
                           just reading her lines
                           when she finally said
                           yes. it's really goodbye this time
                           and far below was the blacktop
                           and the tiny toy cars
                           and it all fell so fast
                           and it all fell so far

                           and she said:
                           you are a miracle but that is not all
                           you are also a stiff drink and i am on call
                           you are a party and i am a school night
                           and i'm lookin' for my door key
                           but you are my porch light

                           and you'll never know, dear
                           just how much i loved you
                           you'll probably think this was
                           just my big excuse
                           but i stand committed
                           to a love that came before you
                           and the fact that i adore you
                           is but one of my truths

                           what of the mother
                           whose house is in flames
                           and both of her children
                           are in their beds crying
                           and she loves them both
                           with the whole of her heart
                           but she knows she can only
                           carry one at a time?
                           she's choking on the smoke
                           of unthinkable choices
                           she is haunted by the voices
                           of so many desires
                           she's bent over from the business
                           of begging forgiveness
                           while frantically running around
                           putting out fires

                           but then what kind of scale
                           compares the weight of two beauties
                           the gravity of duties
                           or the ground speed of joy?
                           tell me what kind of gauge
                           can quantify elation?
                           what kind of equation
                           could i possibly employ?
                           and you'll never know, dear
                           just how much i loved you
                           you probably think this was
                           just my big excuse
                           but i stand committed
                           to a love that came before you
                           and the fact that i adore you
                           is just one of my truths

                           so i
                           i'm goin' home
                           to please the one i so love pleasing
                           and i don't expect
                           he'll have much sympathy for my grieving
                           but i guess that this is the price
                           that we pay for the privilege
                           of living for even a day
                           in a world with so many things
                           worth believing in