The Lot Behind St. Mary's

(album: The Tree - 2018)

We wanted to know when we'd be free
What life looked like on the other side of that sanctuary
Believing somehow we'd make them proud
Knowing the sins they made and figuring we could stay on common ground

Cigarette smoke in an August sky
Drinking the beers you convinced your older brother to buy
We hadn't make any of our mistakes
Our world was in the cradle but innocence was in the grave

And I know we can't go back in time
But every now and then you look at me and I know you wonder why
We can't get back to when September was our only adversary
In the lot behind St. Mary's

Well I thought I'd be all you'd need
But your heart was in the dark and mine was in the weeds
I'm sure the dreamer who built the first trapeze
Fell in love with someone who grew to resent the goddamn thing

And I know we can't go back in time
But every now and then you look at me as if to wonder why
We can't get back to the love we made before our teenage dreams were buried
In the lot behind St. Mary's
St. Mary's

A nightlight glowed in the rectory
We told ourselves the pastor must be sound asleep
But now we're old enough to know he never slept
And that God's love is almighty, but our love is just bones and flesh

And I know we can't go back in time
But every now and then you you reach for me and I close my eyes and try
To get back to that summer and the blue jeans we were wearing
In the lot behind St. Mary's
St. Mary's