Letra de Ash

Daddy´s on the back porch
playing with a blow torch
standing by the front door
Avon Ladies For the Poor
Meanwhile Mama smiles,
"Get your lover down the aisle
before he´s gone"

Lisa says, "Don´t cry;
I´ll bring you flowers when you die
I´ll go to school in only black
or maybe in a gunni sack
I´ll get your friends to stand around
and dance upon buried ground
on our front lawn

But don´t you worry;
I´m sure she´s sorry
and doesn´t mean that stuff about the aisle."

Ring around the rosy
a pocket full of posy
ashes, ashes, we all fall down.

The test came back on Tuesday last
right before our pseudo fast;
Lisa said "it´s heaven sent--
you can´t give ice cream up for lent
Mama said I wouldn´t last forty days,
but maybe two

So I spent the day avoiding mother
reading Dr. Joyce Brothers,
reading Where the Wild Things Are
and some of Plath´s Bell Jar
Reading Daddy´s tax forms
to see if it would be born
on Christmas Day

And I´m not weeping;
I think I´m keeping
a baby who will soon be half my age.

Ring around the rosy
a pocket full of posy
ashes, ashes, we all fall down.

Quitting smoking is a must,
ashes ashes dust to dust
try to turn a new leaf,
giving up pork and beef
Lisa says she´ll buy me bras
and maybe I should join a spa
or take Lamaze

It´s funny how you never know
exactly when you´re asked to grow,
exactly when you take the load
or head up on your own road
Exactly which the day will be--
maybe Ash Wednesday
or Mardi Gras.

So I will change,
´cause I have changed--
time to put these combat boots away.

Ring around the rosy
a pocket full of posy
ashes, ashes, we all fall down.