Fireworks - Choke Up

Dark clouds painted the western sky

As I poured over the classifieds

In the local diner

Where a muted TV on the countertop

Next to the coffeepot

Re-ran The Outsiders

Truer words were never spoken

Cherry, when you assured «Things are rough all over»

I tried to run from the salt-cracked streets

Where nothing but despondency

Ever seemed to thrive

Burned a path across these lonely states

And cursed my naiveté

On the other side

I was a ghost on the Fourth of July

When the fireworks shone in your tear-filled eyes

It’s hard to not drip with disdain after drowning in debt

God damn the blood in my veins, I ain’t no patriot

I saw burdens much heavier than mine on weaker shoulders

It’s hard not to take a dive sometimes when things are rough all over