Wake Me at Sunset

A flash brighter than lightning overhead
But my town is asleep
So they don’t see my father coming home
I imagine him walking in the middle of this night
All the way back to us
He likes to look up at the sky as he steps out onto familiar ground
Now he’s rounding our corner
Now he’s walking through the door
He’s walking through the door
And my mother with her deadened eyes
She comes alive
Don’t go
I plead even though I know
I know his strong love for us both won’t keep him from the sky
I know it tears him up inside to say it’s only one more time
He knows it’s just a lie he wants to believe
I need the stars flying by me
The earth afloat
Above or below
It doesn’t matter where
Just as long as it isn’t right here
I’ll be back before you know it
And then I promise you I’ll be home for good
Let me go with you
I have begged ever since I was a child
I know just what he’s going to say
I don’t want you to end up like me
Aching between the mystery of new planets to be explored
And the comfort of this ancient discovery beneath our feet
You’ll struggle to give up that which you love
And it’s not easy
Son
Just please promise me you won’t become like me
I just nod and let go even though I know
I know his strong love for us both won’t keep him from the sky
I know it tears him up inside to say it’s only one more time
A flash as bright as a rocket ship exploding
But my town is asleep
So they don’t see my father die
I imagine him falling into the sun
And I look up at the sky
If only you would have stayed this time
Now he’s rounding the corner
Now he’s walking through the door
Please just walk through that door
When I asked him how many ways one could die in space
He said a million
They call them traveling graves
If they can’t find you
Then they can’t bury you
Imagine how it feels to envy the stars and resent the sun
Morning won’t ever be the same
You never kept your promise
So I’m not keeping mine
Wake me at sunset so I can say goodbye