Okkervil River - A Stone

Hot breath
Rought skin
Warm laughs and smiling
The lovliest words
Whispered and meant
You like all these things

But, though you like all these things
You love a stone
You love a stone
Because it's smooth and it's cold
And you'd love most
To be told
That it's all your own

You love white veins
You love hard grey
The heaviest weight
The clumsiest shape
The earthiest smell
The hollowest tone
You love a stone

And I'm found too fast
Called too fond of flames
And then I'm phoning my friends
And then I'm shouldering the blame
While you're picking pebbles
Out of the drain
Miles ago
You're out singing songs
And I'm down shouting names
At the flickerless screen
Going fucking insane
Am I losing my cool
Overstating my case?
Well, baby what can I say?

You know I never claimed
That I was a stone
And you love a stone
You love white veins
You love hard grey
The heaviest weight
The clumsiest shape
The earthiest smell
The hollowest tone
You love a stone

You love a stone
Because it's dark and it's old
And if it could start
Being alive
You'd stop living alone
And I think I believe that
If stones could dream
They'd dream of being laid
Side-by-side
Piece-by-piece
And turned into a castle
For some towering queen
They're unable to know

And when that queen's daughter
Came of age
I think she'd be lovely
And stubborn and brave
And suitors would journey
From kingdoms away
Just to make themselves known

And I think that I know the bitter dismay of a lover who brought
Fresh brouquets every day
When she turned him away
To remember some knave
Who once gave
Just one rose, one day, years ago