The River Between the Houses

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[Pre-Chorus]
One silver ladder, one green gate,
One borrowed sky beyond the wall.
I called every stranger my neighbour,
But they did not know me at all.

[Chorus]
I swam the river between the houses,
Through the blue of a life I had lost.
Every garden remembered my footsteps,
Every window remembered the cost.
I kept saying, “Home is just over
The hedge where the old roses grow.”
But the river between the houses
Knew somewhere I wouldn’t go.

[Verse 2]
At noon, Mrs Bell wore a black dress,
She asked why I’d come back again.
A boy by an empty pool whispered,
“Can you teach me to swim without rain?”
We moved our arms through the silence,
Two sailors on concrete and stone.
He laughed when I said water listens—
Then asked why I travelled alone.

[Pre-Chorus]
One cracked umbrella, one rusted chair,
One photograph face-down in leaves.
The people spoke softly around me
Like mourners protecting their grief.

[Bridge]
Summer became September,
September became the rain.
My hands grew old in the water;
The street forgot my name.
Then I saw her beside the last doorway,
With the years gathered under her eyes.
She said, “You came home once, Elias—
But you couldn’t live with your life.”

[Verse 3]
The final pool had no water,
Only leaves in the deepening blue.
I climbed down the ladder slowly;
She climbed down the other side too.
I started to swim through the empty,
Still reaching for something before.
She took my hand in the deep end
And walked me out through the floor.

[Final Chorus]
I crossed the river between the houses,
But the river was only my mind.
Every garden had offered a doorway;
I was frightened of what lay behind.
Now the sun has gone down on the water,
And I no longer need it to glow.
There’s a road beyond all the houses—
And at last, I am ready to go.

[Outro]
No water, no summer,
No promise to keep.
Just her hand in the twilight,
And the road under our feet.

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[Verse 1] I woke where the blue tiles shimmered, With somebody’s coat on a chair, A glass with a mouth-mark fading, And summer asleep in the air. I said, “There’s a river behind you, It runs through the gardens I know. My Mara is waiting at sunset— I promised her long ago.” [Pre-Chorus] One silver ladder, one green gate, One borrowed sky beyond the wall. I called every stranger my neighbour, But they did not know me at all. [Chorus] I swam the river between the houses, Through the blue of a life I had lost. Every garden remembered my footsteps, Every window remembered the cost. I kept saying, “Home is just over The hedge where the old roses grow.” But the river between the houses Knew somewhere I wouldn’t go. [Verse 2] At noon, Mrs Bell wore a black dress, She asked why I’d come back again. A boy by an empty pool whispered, “Can you teach me to swim without rain?” We moved our arms through the silence, Two sailors on concrete and stone. He laughed when I said water listens— Then asked why I travelled alone. [Pre-Chorus] One cracked umbrella, one rusted chair, One photograph face-down in leaves. The people spoke softly around me Like mourners protecting their grief. [Chorus] I swam the river between the houses, Through the blue of a life I had lost. Every garden remembered my footsteps, Every window remembered the cost. I kept saying, “Home is just over The hedge where the old roses grow.” But the river between the houses Knew somewhere I wouldn’t go. [Bridge] Summer became September, September became the rain. My hands grew old in the water; The street forgot my name. Then I saw her beside the last doorway, With the years gathered under her eyes. She said, “You came home once, Elias— But you couldn’t live with your life.” [Verse 3] The final pool had no water, Only leaves in the deepening blue. I climbed down the ladder slowly; She climbed down the other side too. I started to swim through the empty, Still reaching for something before. She took my hand in the deep end And walked me out through the floor. [Final Chorus] I crossed the river between the houses, But the river was only my mind. Every garden had offered a doorway; I was frightened of what lay behind. Now the sun has gone down on the water, And I no longer need it to glow. There’s a road beyond all the houses— And at last, I am ready to go. [Outro] No water, no summer, No promise to keep. Just her hand in the twilight, And the road under our feet.

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