Bright Red

the sun just spiked its way out of the white sky
pierced my eyes like a thorn
it was the hottest summer in 30 years
since before I was born

my shoulders turned freckled and brown
and my favorite pair of shoes
melted into the ground
and we drove around with the windows down
and our bodies drenched in sweat
that's a year I will never forget

and I can't remember why
but I bought a box of dye
and painted my hair bright red
I guess that I was just
papering over the cracks
in the sidewalks running through my head

and that was the year I was safe
from all the lies
they were new enough not to haunt me yet
i'm not even sure
they knew it was me they were hunting for
but they were just dim enough to forget

and I can't remember why
but I bought a box of dye
and painted my hair bright red
I guess that I was just
papering over the cracks
in the sidewalks running through my head

and there were still the white stripes of skin
where we never let the sunshine in
and they glowed brightly in the dark
and my red hair looked kind of like a spark

and then the sky turned a comfortable blue
it was fall again, summer was through
and there was just the faded orange of my once-red hair
and the hint of winter coming into view

and I can't remember why
but I bought a box of dye
and painted my hair bright red
I guess that I was just
papering over the cracks
in the sidewalks running through my head