On short loan only
I have no breath left, perhaps i'm drowning
For sure there are a lot of tears, but i'm not crying
Funny that, being dead
That i might weep for love, but only in my head
They take the tray bring round the tea, customs calling
They've ribboned off a room for eating in and another room for grieving
Whiskey burns, sheds the coats
But the ones who need it most are too ragged in the throat
Chorus
And they would have me sing of you that you were just on loan, another flower in the basket of the master
But if i bite the tongue that speaks of you and i change your room around
Will i forget you, will i forget you any faster?
You were a weight upon their shoulders, they carried you so far
Too big for sympathy at school, a bright and lawless spark
They're building up your image now and they're playing by their empty social rules
Chorus
And they would have me sing of you, that you were just on loan
Another flower in the basket of the master
But if i bite the tongue that speaks of you, and i change your room around
Will i forget you, will i forget you any faster?
Sometimes i dream that you are back
Imagine what it would be like
To see how'd we spend the day
But i think we'd still only fight
You haven't gone beyond my love, beyond my care
There has to be a heaven somewhere
Its good to be remembered, but i know you'd hate their show
And i wish before you left that they had thought to let you know
Its good to be remembered, but i shouldn't have let you go
And i wish before you left that i had only let you know