one in progress

Still tinkering with this. One version is done; it was written for a novel an old professor of mine is writing, but had to be written for a thirteen year old character. I've redone the verses a lot, and I think I'm starting to get the hang of it now.

THE LONG WAY HOME (11/28/05 version)

In the room next to mine in this transient hotel
there's a girl who's called Emily
When I forget to light the candles, as I frequently do
she comes in and lights them for me
She says "you'd be lost if you didn't have me"
and tenderly touches my hand
as I stare out the window at the faces in the moon
and say my prayers as well as I can
I have never been lost
I have never been lost
I have never been lost
I've just taken the long way home

I feel like I grew old waiting
for the bus on water street
wandering around the telephone pole
under the late august heat
Emily says that's it's sort of profound
every time she sees me out there
wandering around in circles
but not getting anywhere
but I have never been lost
I have never been lost
I have never been lost
I've just taken the long way home


So I sat in a bar with the wood panelled walls
and looked at all the other people yesterday
While I was watching them, Emily was watching me
staring at my face, while the radio played
a song about traveling and coming home
I stepped to the floor and I danced my way across
everyone there was just passing through
but we have never been lost


Sometimes I feel like a hitchiking ghost
constantly fading away
but right now I feel how Abraham felt
when he first set out that day
I have never been lost
I have never been lost
I have never been lost
I've just taken the long way home