Ordre Offshore

In hickory and weather, the flags aloft
In red clay and cord, we pushed off
The water was leather, the air was cloth
And provisions stored, we pushed off
They took down the map, a curious choice
And laid out their copies of Campbell and Joyce

We set out for home, with nothin' for nothin'
But the turn of the page
At the Head of the Passes, they turned you away
Shouts of "Man overboard!"
Shouts of "Aweigh!"

The ghost in the hull, the story goes
Turn down the lantern, it follows
The face of the man whose eyes stay dim
Turn down the flame and face him

At the Head of the Passes, they turn you away
Takin' nothin' for nothin', like the course we laid
Was pushin' us back to the Great Parade to wait
At the Head of the Passes, they make you

In the heat of the hull, they talk low
Turn up the lantern and show the bones
The face of a man down below the deck and desperate's so

After forty-odd days, we come to
After forty-odd days, you come too
After forty-odd days, we show up with proof
After forty-odd days, they come to
Then at the Head of the Passes
They let you through
Me too

New moon, the air was all a sherry sweet and halcyon
New moon, we were readin' Renaissance and nestin'
Monsoon, the wind be comin', the forecaster in your eyes
"Monsoon!" A storm be runnin' for us and our restin' skies
But I don't have the picture yet
Of the rain you painted down south
And I ain't got them boats out yet
Or the words I'm thinkin' all outta my mouth

Them dunes rise above an empire, stop
Them dunes -- legions in repose
Monsoon, the wood be crackin' and the mast at two o'clock
Monsoon, the will be crackin', but we're too close
Too close to stop
'Cause we ain't told that story yet
About the time we took it downtown
Where the air was old and the moss was gold
And the oak trees covered and touched the ground
And I ain't got that picture yet
Of the oaks you painted down south

I don't care if I'm no one and you're nobody
I don't care if I'm no one
I don't care if I'm no one and you're nobody
'Cause we're not done -- watch out

Slow down, it's over
Slow down, it's done
Get down in the water
Go down with the sun, Son

I'm just here to wait

Son, I got a puzzle, given me by something unseen
I cut it up into jagged little shards
I threw them up, put one into my heart
But I've no blood, just imitation

I'm no savior
It's done
It's done, son
You're no saint, and I'm no better
Uncle made us scared
Uncle put us here to wait
To wait
Yeah, to wait
To wait
To wait

Call me Faith, just call me
Call me Hate -- like you, I'm sane
But offshore, Son
Offshore