Faithful Departed

(Phil Chevron)



This graveyard hides a million secrets

And the trees know more than they can tell

The ghosts of the saints and scholars will haunt you

In heaven and in hell

Rattled by the glimmer man, the boogieman, holy man

Livin' in the shadows and the shadows of a gunman

Rattle like the coppers in your greasy till

Rattle til the time stood still

Look over your shoulder; hear the school bell ring

Another day of made-to-measure history

I don't care if your heroes have wings

Your terrible beauty's been torn



Faithful departed

We fickle hearted

As you are now

So once were we

Faithful departed

We the meek hearted 

With graces imparted

Bring flowers to thee



The girls in the kips proclaim their love for you

When you stumbled in they knew you for a shilling or two

They curse you on Sundays and holy days

When you all stayed away

You slept there naked; light bulb hid your shame

The shadows on the wall they took all the blame

The sacred hearts picture compassion in his eyes

Drowned out the river of sighs

The grass grow green on the brewery tonight

Never come between the darkness and the light

There is no pain that can't be eased

By the devil's holy water and the rosary beads



You're a history book, I never could write

Poetry in paralysis too deep to recite

Bless yourself and dress yourself; you've won the fight

We're going to celebrate tonight

We'll even climbed the pillar like we always meant to

Watch the sun rise over the strand

Close our eyes and we'll pretend

It could somehow be the same again

I'll bury you upright so the sun doesn't blind you

You won't have to gaze at the rain and the stars

Sleep and dreams of chapels and bars

And whiskey in the jar



Faithful departed

Look what you started

An underdog's wounds

Aren't so easy to mend

Faithful departed

There's no broken hearted

And no more distress

In your world without end