The Astronaut

Born on a farm but he'd heard of far places
The boy loved his home, but he knew all the faces
He needed to leave, but his mother had begged him to stay
Dreamt 'til his dreams made his home seem foreign
Sweat on his brow, but nothing else for him
Broke his mom's heart when he told her he must go today

Gathered the gold for his work in the ground
Bought the first seat on the last greyhound
And drove 'til the glow of the small town had started to fade
But through his window he could still see the stars
And somehow they seemed just a little less far
So he slept like a babe as he dreamed of a place far away

Among the stars, among the stars
May we never forget who we are
Among the stars, among the stars
Among the stars

Wandered the city, a face in the crowd
The man would look up as the people looked down
But stars can be harder to see over neon signs
He jumped through their hoops, unaware of the danger
The people cried "king" but the mirror mocked "stranger"
Climbing each ladder, he only got sadder to find

That life at the top could be lonely and cruel
The toys and the noise hid the stars from view
So in a moment of rage, he threw off his cage and took flight
Settled out west on the edge of the town
Where the stars could be seen through the thickest clouds
In a moonlit trance, he would dance in a natural light

Among the stars, among the stars
May we never forget who we are
Among the stars, among the stars
Among the stars

The years passed by and the man grew old
Silent and cold from the violence he'd known
He'd weep as the people would bleed over nickels and dimes
They'd kill over gods, they'd kill over colors
Kill all their neighbors and then kill each other
Broke his old heart to depart but he knew it was time

Gathered the change from his pockets and boots
Traded his name for a rocket and suit
And flew for a year 'fore he peered at the small earth from space
But all he could see was a pale blue dot
Where the kings had been crowned and the wars had been fought
So he threw up his hands and he wept 'til he wasted away

Among the stars, among the stars
May we never forget who we are
Among the stars, among the stars
Among the stars

Among the stars, among the stars
May we never forget who we are
Among the stars, among the stars
Among the stars