St. Catherine

Cathy came down to this city surrounded
Her heart full and empty handed
Her dreams were like dead men's, partly promised
Hollowed by strangers, more than she could speak through
Named for the Saint or one of these streets
She was too perfect, breathing whispers
All the failures they couldn't resist her
Their futures partly promised
To the heartsick boys and the hard luck girls
So she's cracking spines and tearing out pages
Finding the passages this life predicted
About a boy who knew nothing
And a girl almost traceless
And an air sick with secrets
And a faith that gets wasted
On the heartsick boys and the hard luck girls
She's made her choices, she has her reasons
She gets to digging, she's buried legions
She lets her kindness do the killing
Most go softly, most are willing
They're pebbles and stones deep in her pockets
Their buried moans are haunting these halls
It's a long walk from the front door to her bedroom
And they always want more
Is it wicked to ask for so much?
Is it worth it?
She'd say "I think so"
For the heartsick boys and the hard luck girls