Leaves In The River

I met a girl on Halloween

When she was lost, and I was drunk

And it was dark and cold out when we left



And as we walked the rain started

The leaves softened with every step

And all around us people slept alone with their dreams



The wind came down from up the planes

And blew the leaves all through the streets

I wondered how far leaves could really fly



Would they rest in suburb yards

Or make it to the city

Or would they end up in the river just to float away



She pointed to a small brick house

And said it was where she grew up

The lights were out, she aked if we could stop for awhile



Her hair was still just getting wet

The water running down her neck

Collecting in the handprint in cement beneath her feet



Apparently there'd been a death

Someone close and nothing left

Because she hadn't left him in the end



I saw her blush when I asked

If she always talked like that

She said it only happened when she drank



And later on I felt her hand

Slipping into my cold fist

She promised me a kiss as soon as we got home



Her costume had begun to tear

She ran ahead and turned to me

Her laughter echoed through the empty streets