Parade Days

She was born into mourning.
With some war winding down
And if her uncle was gone
At least she'll be around.
At least she'll be around.

Her folks were good neighbors.
A dish when somebody died.
When the parish did dances
She mostly used to stand off to the side.

A Pontiac salesman
And a beauty technician.
A young mother and father
And all the things they wanted for their daughter.

School was a stockyard.
They just tried to hold em.
They didn't hold too hard.

On the bus with her headphones
Breathing steam on the window.
Joining forces in boredom
With the boys down at the bluffs all breaking bottles.

Then school was just over.
Saw an ad in the paper.
A half life in housewares
On the escalator up to Downtown Dayton's.

On the sidewalk with sparklers.
In the distance the drummers.
Her favorite part of the summer.

Her mother with cupcakes.
Her father with handshakes.
It's an honor and a pleasure to present to you
The new queen of the lakes.

In the grey of the break room
There's a tear in the fabric.
The house is all hers now.
The first time she noticed
The bags at the bus stop.
Our pleasure to present to you
The new queen of the lakes.