THE TRADE
music and lyrics copyright (C) 1985 by Ernest Clark

!lj  first draft 5/11/85
!lj  current draft 10/25/86


The stars stream slowly fore to aft, each lonely glimmering spark
Shifting blue to red before fading into dark.
Our ship is chased by Nothing--and stars fall down its hole,
And in that red-shift void behind I know I've left my soul.


The first dot gone so long ago, the home from which I came,
With the goals and dreams and schemes we made so that we might
    win the game.
But Fate's cold dice soon crapped away the one I was to wed,
And left him standing there behind.  I'm sure by now he's dead.


And so to see this mighty view where all my thoughts once led,
I left my other half behind, and keep an empty bed.
But now I sit and ask myself, is this all worth the price?
Were we wise the day we chose which dreams to sacrifice?


    And I think about ways to end it all,
    And debate the wheres and whys,
    Yet I know if I ever do kill myself
    His dream also dies.


The stars stream slowly fore to aft, each lonely guttering spark
Shifting blue to red before fading into dark.
Our ship is chased by Nothing--and down that quiet slope
I would slip did I forget I keep his only hope.