Rob Berretta

Lyrics

I promised I loved her and showed her the money
‘Twas enough for the passage, but only for me
Then I kissed her and flew ‘cross the wide, frozen sea
And would send for her soon as well,
I would send for her soon as well
 
I told her I’d letters from friends who had made it here
Bookbinders, shoemakers, the odd profiteer
For America’s free, we could live without fear
And we’d only be split for a spell
We would only be split for a spell, but
 
Chorus:
I told her not to come, I did
I told her not to come
And she’ll never forgive, but at least she can live
Without knowing what I’ve kept her from
Though it’s true that this land isn’t what it once was
And I’ve surely lost sight of my dream
She’ll never suspect ‘twas my heart to give pause
And that neither is now what we seem
Not this strange, hallowed country or me
 
I wrote her of pain, and the shame of rejection
The stares of the citizens, faces that shun
I told of the solace of feigned resignation
And whispers of anger and fright
Whispers of anger and fright
 
But I didn’t explain that my heart had stopped beating
When I looked at her picture the choirs wouldn’t sing
That this distance I’d summoned had killed all the yearning
And left me as cold as the night
And left me as cold as the night, then
(chorus)
 
For centuries past here, before the alarms
This nation of promise would open her arms
But native resistance and real foreign harm
Will keep these arms close for a while
Will keep these arms close for a while
 
Now as one of the last souls to pass through this border
A symbol of yore failed by new law and order
May this scarred land forgive that I’m slanderous toward her
For to keep my old love in denial
For to keep my old love in denial, for
(chorus)
 
© 2009 Rob Berretta