Winter Coats

(album: Routine Maintenance - 2019)

I saw my sister lay in bed
Chain-smoking cigarettes
Window open, November's spilling in
I made a cross over my head
I dipped my fingertips
In the calcified green holy water dish

I took pity on your battered soul
And never let you in
I feel like a lost winter coat
In a county church's basement
Where I wept
I can't believe that I'm here again

Waited 'til everybody left
I sat at the organ and
Played myself a slow and quiet hymn
Then you sat up from the bench
You scared me half to death
I hadn't seen you since you were a kid

I took pity on your battered soul
And never let you in
But if you feel like a lost winter coat
In a county church's basement
I get it
I get it

Christ, you got tall
You've got your grandfather chin
Guess your mom's been pretty busy
Why don't you sit with me a bit?
If you like that song
Then I can teach you it
Come on over to the organ
It's easy, I promise, I promise

Put your left hand here like that
Line up your right and then
It's B to E, C-sharp-minor and back
And hey I'm sorry about your dad
I watched you during mass
He'd be so damn proud of how brave you've been

You took pity on their battered souls
And never let them in
But if I'm just a lost winter coat
In a county church's basement
I could be of use
If you're cold I could shelter you
And maybe I could stick around a bit you know
If you want someone to talk to