The Traveler
Feb 19 and 20, 2012
(back-story in spoiler)
[spoil]Written on the Greyhound buses and the metro train going to and from Kentucky to see Bride’s last concert.
The opening lines were inspired by my words “Blood-stained hair. It’s just a natural dye”, which I said in response to my hitting my head on the toilet-paper-roll-holder in the bus’s lavatory. It bled into my hair, and… there you have it.[/spoil]
V1
Long, blood-stained hair
He hit his head, he doesn’t care
To him, it’s nothing more than natural dye
A long road ahead
He’s tired, he will not rest his head
He’s hoping that his bus gets there on time
C1
Oh, traveler, where have you been?
Have you seen the lies, the peace, and the sin?
Oh, traveler, where will you go?
Do you still dream of your home?
Oh, traveler, travel on
V2
Long, trailing strands
From the pack held in his hand
He hopes that it will hold out for one more day
A long, bony hand
Tapping tunes lost in the sands
Lost in the sands of time long since passed away
C1
V3
Long, weary days
On a bus, he hopes it pays
He’ll find out when he gets to the end of the line
A long-standing love
He thinks of home, he thinks of love
He prays she’s safe, he prays she’ll come around
He prays until the morn without a sound
C2
Oh, traveler, think not of home
For you still have a long ways to go
Oh, traveler, where will you play?
Will you sing when the sun breaks today?
Oh, traveler
Oh, traveler
Oh, traveler, travel on
V4
Long, boring waits
He calls friends to temp the fates
He knows at last he’s done, no more to roam
A long winding train
Traveling o’er the steel and stone
The last leg in his long, hard journey home
C3
Oh, traveler, can you see your home?
Break out your jacket, your tickets and comb
Oh, traveler are you home to stay?
Will we meet you tomorrow, like today?
Or, traveler… will you travel on?
C1
