Portrait of a Girl and Her Parents

©1993 Andrew Calhoun, recorded on Where Blue Meets Blue

One of my best. The girl is 9 years old in the first two verses, then ages 50 years for the last one.

They are here every day
And they walk in my dreams
Dull eyes and sharp tongues
In a house full of screams
And they're here at the door
Maybe watching for clues
Where I'm never caught lying
I am ever accused
But there is always the world
Where the sun meets the grain
And the whole rolling ocean
In the salt of my pain

There is nothing important
And nothing unknown
He's so busy
She's so high-tone
And I, their bright jewel
So rare and so pale
Like a fine china jar
Where the cookies go stale
There is always the world
I keep it hid up my sleeve
And I take it out dancing
When the company leaves

There is little joy taken
When your enemy's dead
And the wounds you were given
Are all in your head
Go tell the explainers
And tell 'em in time
They might have their answers
But they'll never have mine
There is always the world
I was never to blame
Where you can't be a loser
If life's not a game