Dead Leaves.
See the man standing on the platform
On his way back home from a war
He sees her there through the smoke of his breath
Sees her standing alone in the door
She was just a girl maybe seventeen
Shivering in the winter cold
With hair like the leaves that blew around her feet
Auburn dipped in gold
Sister Mary threw those petals high up in the air
As we read our wedding vow
I will love you for a lifetime at least
Forever just as now
He cupped his hand around her cigarette
She smiled and bowed her head
'Are you waiting for a train or for someone?'
She sighed 'My someone's dead'
They talked for hours till his train came
They kiss and then they part
He dreamed as the tracks took him homeward
And listened to the beat of his heart
Sister Mary threw those petals high up in the air
As we read our wedding vow
I will love you for a lifetime at least
Forever just as now
His wife came and met him at the station
Five long years he'd been away
She told him how their children both had grown
Neither had very much to say
They walked alone by the river
She was scared to hold his hand
He'd already seen what she tried to hide
She'd sold her golden wedding band
Sister Mary threw those petals high up in the air
As we read our wedding vow
I will love you for a lifetime at least
Forever just as now
He told her that she was looking older
She told him 'Well that's what time will do'
'Every day's been a battle since you've been away'
He said 'I've had my battles too'
His children they met him in the hallway
A soldier and a stranger in their home
She said 'I thought our Daddy was a baker'
The only man they'd ever known
Sister Mary threw those petals high up in the air
As we read our wedding vow
I will love you for a lifetime at least
Forever just as now
'My dear, five years is a long time
I did some things I didn't want to do
But please don't hate me for surviving
Our children needed clothing and food'
He flew into a rage and left them shaking
He ran back and boarded the train
With that young girl he'd left at the station
And hot blood pounding in his brain
Sister Mary threw those petals high up in the air
As we read our wedding vow
I will love you for a lifetime at least
Forever just as now
The train took him back to that station
He stood where he'd stood years before
And through the smoke of his cigarette
Again, he saw her standing in the door
Now just a little older than seventeen
Still shivering in the winter cold
With hair like the leaves that blew around her feet
Silver where once was gold
They talked for hours till the moon rose
Then in the twilight they both began to cry
Then all went quiet in the station
And the dead leaves danced across the sky
Sister Mary threw those petals high up in the air
As we read our wedding vow
I will love you for a lifetime at least
Forever just as now.
See the man standing on the platform
On his way back home from a war
He sees her there through the smoke of his breath
Sees her standing alone in the door
She was just a girl maybe seventeen
Shivering in the winter cold
With hair like the leaves that blew around her feet
Auburn dipped in gold
Sister Mary threw those petals high up in the air
As we read our wedding vow
I will love you for a lifetime at least
Forever just as now
He cupped his hand around her cigarette
She smiled and bowed her head
'Are you waiting for a train or for someone?'
She sighed 'My someone's dead'
They talked for hours till his train came
They kiss and then they part
He dreamed as the tracks took him homeward
And listened to the beat of his heart
Sister Mary threw those petals high up in the air
As we read our wedding vow
I will love you for a lifetime at least
Forever just as now
His wife came and met him at the station
Five long years he'd been away
She told him how their children both had grown
Neither had very much to say
They walked alone by the river
She was scared to hold his hand
He'd already seen what she tried to hide
She'd sold her golden wedding band
Sister Mary threw those petals high up in the air
As we read our wedding vow
I will love you for a lifetime at least
Forever just as now
He told her that she was looking older
She told him 'Well that's what time will do'
'Every day's been a battle since you've been away'
He said 'I've had my battles too'
His children they met him in the hallway
A soldier and a stranger in their home
She said 'I thought our Daddy was a baker'
The only man they'd ever known
Sister Mary threw those petals high up in the air
As we read our wedding vow
I will love you for a lifetime at least
Forever just as now
'My dear, five years is a long time
I did some things I didn't want to do
But please don't hate me for surviving
Our children needed clothing and food'
He flew into a rage and left them shaking
He ran back and boarded the train
With that young girl he'd left at the station
And hot blood pounding in his brain
Sister Mary threw those petals high up in the air
As we read our wedding vow
I will love you for a lifetime at least
Forever just as now
The train took him back to that station
He stood where he'd stood years before
And through the smoke of his cigarette
Again, he saw her standing in the door
Now just a little older than seventeen
Still shivering in the winter cold
With hair like the leaves that blew around her feet
Silver where once was gold
They talked for hours till the moon rose
Then in the twilight they both began to cry
Then all went quiet in the station
And the dead leaves danced across the sky
Sister Mary threw those petals high up in the air
As we read our wedding vow
I will love you for a lifetime at least
Forever just as now.
credits
Ben Holland: Guitar and Vocal.
Written and recorded by Ben Holland.
