Mona and emmy
Mona's buying milk and honey from the summer bins in Milford Market
Outside the door at six, the green bulb clicks
On
I work nine to five around the hiss of the ice box compartment
When I punch out I want to set the night to bitter flames a-lickin'
The town and all the passion strickened down

And Emmy's twenty years removed now, from that morning in July
When her father held her in his arms
And dipped her freckled neck down' 'neath the river water as flies
Were darkening the brightness
And all of the baptismal whiteness
But darlin' all those of our likeness
Were born so very ready to live
And to die

I know my way through the neighborhoods
From Mona's house to the interstate
I know my way to the greatest things we got
They're old and dirty, surely
The travelin' acts they leave their sounds
For railroad tracks in other towns
But I want to hold to something longer
Something meaner, something stronger
For at eleven thirty the town's alone, again
And Emmy used to say she loved me
Used to be oh so proud of me
When she saw her father in my eyes
When I dipped her golden head down 'neath the river water swimmin'
The pine shine all was dimmin'
The kitchen panes were pitch-dark within
And I thought we were only kidding till
Your father cried

Mona, you're my only friend, we could take the interstate;
Though you know the interstate deadends
Will it lead us to the milk and honey
Is the Promised Land just a funny
Way to say the strangeness never ceases?
'Cause Emmy, you have baptized me to pieces