After All

AFTER ALL

We walked all night in the pouring rain 
Made the coast by morning 
Found an old abandoned carnival by the sea 
There were no seats on the ferris wheel 
And only one horse on the carousel 
So I jumped on his back to get a ride for free 

Free like the wind rising up the Eastern shore 
Blowing back my un-tucked shirt tail 
Filling up my empty pockets 
And a song was coming to me 
But by night I couldn't hear it anymore 

Anymore 
I've stopped dreaming of love 
Anymore 
I can't believe the things I'm thinking of 
Anymore, anymore 

Mirrah, she's a friend of mine 
She gives her love to artists 
It's her way of brushing her humanity 
She stays long enough to feel the pain 
And to fill up on their vision 
When she's drunk she says she's still in love with me 

Me, I spend my days singing new songs on the subway 
For the ones who stop to listen 
Who will pay me mind or money 
And I go right on singing as the train rolls in 
To take them far away 

Far away 
they miss the best part of the show 
Far away 
for a place they don't really wanna go 
Far away, far away 

Well I went to see this friend of mine 
He lives down in New York City 
Says that's the only place a poet needs to be 
Says there's life outside the window pane 
And benches by the river 
And a song in every stranger's eyes you see 

See me on the street with my pocket pad of paper 
Making sense of all the madness 
With my crisp iambic meter 
And nobody dares to tell me 
New York City doesn't need me after all 

After all 
I am just a mortal man 
After all 
I'm just trying to do the very best I can 
After all, after all, after all