the lonely boats

listen: from “falling down”

listen: monday song

lyrics

all alone the shipwright strains
shaping boards to mend the bow
he breathes in lacquer, oil, and stain
and wipes the sawdust off his brow
all aboard awake
call the wayward children to the shore
sing a patient lullaby in e
lift the bitter hearts up off the floor
and push the lonely boats out to the sea
the near-sighted navigator stands
and charts a winding course from here to there
he smoothes a dented map with both his hands
and soothes an anxious soul with a humble prayer
call the weary soldiers to the shore
sing a soothing elegy in d
lift the wounded hearts up off the floor
and push the lonely boats out to the sea
all aboard a dream
on board the captain prepares to leave
ignites the engine’s pilot flame
as the coast retreats he knows he’ll grieve
and foreign shores relieve the pain
call the weeping milkmaids to the shore
sing a loving rhapsody in g
lift their broken hearts up off the floor
and push the lonely boats out to the sea
call the silent sleepers to the shore
sing a bracing reveille in e
lift the heavy hearts up off the floor
and push the lonely boats out to the sea