Ash Wednesday

Gunshots down on Franklin
11:45
Two boys from the Lower Ninth
the coroner arrives
There's a blind man reading tarot cards
over there in Jackson Square
he says the future is uncertain
but he don't really care

And this city is my sweetheart
but I am truly torn
she loves me through the evening
and then she stabs me in the morning

I saw Lucious down on Frenchmen
he says he's moving back
he wears a long sleeve gingham dress shirt
to cover up his happy tracks
And there's a drunkard on the levee
he watched the frighters rolling by
and said "I shall be a captain then
and take this river for my bride"

Come wednesday there's no ashes
yeah, we all forgot to pray
mothers lose there children here
and children lose there way

It's raining down on Montegut
I found a letter that's six years old
my mother writes she misses me
and she's worried about my immortal soul
Grandma isn't feeling well
but the weather's sure nice out west
she hopes that I don't drink too much
and Papa sends his very best

Everyone is drowning here
Everyone is free
God protects these fools
who build there homes below the sea