The Caution Horses

The way you kissed me this morning
it told me that you soon would be going
You didn't even look in my eyes
when you said goodbye

And last night in your sleep you broke all the promises
that I knew you would never keep
Now I'm reading the letter which you placed on the dresser
and you're five hundred miles down the road

Escape is so simple
in a world where sunsets can be raced
But distance only looses the knife
the pattern of its scar
can always be traced

Yeah, I remember when we said 'forever'
was the craziest word that we knew
but I think that I like it much better than I do 'goodbye'

And I could sit here all evening and think of the reasons
why you are not by my side
Instead I'll go to the kitchen, find a strong chair to sit in
and drink myself far, far away

Escape is so simple
in a world where sunsets can be raced
But distance only looses the knife
the pattern of its scar
can always be traced

There are witches in the hills calling my name
saying come join us sister, come kiss the flame
Come dance in the moonbeams, ride the night wind
make love to the darkness and laugh at man's sins

I shiver with delight, I shiver with fear
my heart wants to go but my soul's filled with fear
So I turn to my lover and ask what do I do
do I answer their call or stay here with you

But under spell of deep sleep he moans and turns away
taking his protection and my desire to stay
So I rise to the hill tops, I ride the night winds
I make love to the darkness and laugh at man's sins

She captured both Rock and Bird
tied one to the leg of the other
kept them as prisoners
until they knew who was master
then she threw them to the sky

Bird with unbarred wings disappeared
Rock with weighted heart returned
and Rock became her anchor
and Bird became her dream

Now she stands on the forest floor
among the pines and towering firs
Rock still firm beneath her feet
Bird perched high above her
singing songs of love's betrayal

'I offered you my endless skies
you countered with hoods and chains
this song I sing will be the last
to be inspired by your memory'

There's a young man in the corner playing 'Crazy' all night long
quarters piled high upon the table
He orders Wild Turkey and with a quick wit and a smile
he says, 'My darling, you're the one I'll drape in sable'
But his baseball cap and this bar-room rap
tell me a different story
that this is not my prince to grant all my wishes
Just another lonely country-boy grown weary of the night
Just another boy with a sink full of dirty dishes

Where are you tonight?
When I left you in my dreams last night
you promised me that we would be breaking free
Where are you tonight?

He tells me of the back roads
and how we'll drive them all night long
how the days will fade and the moon will hang forever
and how the cloud of dust we'll kick up will linger like a song
and the myth will grow about the two who refused to surrender

Then I catch us in the bar-room mirror
with his arm around my shoulder
this girl I see has grown so unfamiliar
and as she stands to leave with a stranger by her side
she can't help but laugh at a life grown so peculiar

Where are you tonight?
I don't think I can face tomorrow's light
not knowing if you'll be there to guide me
Where are you tonight?

Where are you tonight?
I think that I'll make it through all right,
but I'd love to have you just one more time beside me

There's a young man in the corner playing 'crazy' all night long
Quarters piled high upon the table
He orders wild turkey and with a quick wit and a smile
He says, 'my darling, you're the one i'll drape in sable'
But his baseball cap and this bar-room rap
Tell me a different story
That this is not my prince to grant all my wishes
Just another lonely country-boy grown weary of the night
Just another boy with a sink full of dirty dishes

Where are you tonight?
When i left you in my dreams last night
You promised me that we would be breaking free
Where are you tonight?

He tells me of the back roads
And how we'll drive them all night long
How the days will fade and the moon will hang forever
And how the cloud of dust we'll kick up will linger like a song
And the myth will grow about the two who refused to surrender

Then i catch us in the bar-room mirror
With his arm around my shoulder
This girl i see has grown so unfamiliar
And as she stands to leave with a stranger by her side
She can't help but laugh at a life grown so peculiar

Where are you tonight?
I don't think i can face tomorrow's light
Not knowing if you'll be there to guide me
Where are you tonight?

Where are you tonight?
I think that i'll make it through all right,
But i'd love to have you just one more time beside me

Sun comes up, it's Tuesday morning
hits me straight in the eye
guess you forgot to close the blind last night
Oh, that's right, I forgot, it was me

I sure do miss the smell of black coffee in the morning,
the sound of water splashing all over the bathroom,
the kiss that you would give me even though I was sleeping,
but I kind of like the feel of this extra few feet in my bed
Telephone's ringing, but I don't answer it
'cause everybody knows that good news always sleeps till noon

Guess it's tea and toast for breakfast again
maybe I'll add a little T.V. too
No milk! God, how I hate that
Guess I'll go to the corner, get breakfast from Jenny
She's got a black eye this morning, `Jen how'd ya get it?'
she says, `Last night, Bobby got a little bit out of hand'

Lunchtime. I start to dial your number
then I remember so I reach for something to smoke
and anyways I'd rather listen to Coltrane
than go through all that shit again

There's something about an afternoon spent doing nothing
Just listening to records and watching the sun falling
Thinking of things that don't have to add up to something
and this spell won't be broken
by the sound of keys scraping in the lock

Maybe tonight it's a movie
with plenty of room for elbows and knees
a bag of popcorn all to myself,
black and white with a strong female lead
and if I don't like it, no debate, I'll leave

Here comes that feeling that I'd forgotten
how strange these streets feel
when you're alone on them
Each pair of eyes just filled with suggestion
So I lower my head, make a beeline for home
Seething inside

Funny, I'd never noticed
the sound the streetcars make as they pass my window
Which reminds me that I forgot to close the blind again
Yeah, sure I'll admit there are times when I miss you
Especially like now when I need someone to hold me
but there are some things that can never be forgiven
and I just gotta tell you
that I kinda like this extra few feet in my bed