James McMurtry
Childish Things


Aunt Clara kept her Bible Right next to the phone in case she needed a quote
While she talked to someone
In my memory she smiles While the blessing is said
And visions of freeze tag dance in my head
She says I’ll grow up bigIf I eat all my roast
I’ll still believe in heaven
But I won’t believe in ghosts anymore

I’ll put away childish things

Every other weekend at the age of thirteen
With my fishing pole and my Field and Stream
Ridin’ back home on the Trailways bus
I looked out the window
‘Til I saw too much
And I called my parents by their own first names
I played in the alley
But I didn’t play the game anymore

I put away childish things

The wolves howl all night long
They won’t stop and they won’t go home
Beneath my window they run
Probably it’ll be alright
If I keep it all locked up tight And wait ‘til daylight comes

Now my boy goes like a house on fire
He’ll never burn out and he’ll never retire
And I remember when I used to think like that
When I was young and the world was flat
But I’m forty some years old now and man I don’t care
All I want now is just a comfortable chair
And to sell all my stock
And live on the coast
I don’t believe in heavenBut I still believe in ghosts.