New Years Day

We are sitting at a table in a bar in Baltimore
It's the last night of December
And the room is nearly full

And the front door pulls a draft in every time it opens wide

And you are telling me a story
From another time and life

And the waitress brings our order
And we're tucked in mighty close

And I feel like we belong among
The living and these ghosts

And I know that I am dreaming
As I memorize each part

In the telling lies a reverie

In the details lie the heart

Like the folds of summer dresses

Like the scent upon my wrist

Like the way you played guitar
Like a boxer punches with his fist

And taken or just lost to me
It's better now to say

I dwell in possibility
On New Year's Day

There's a jukebox or a bandstand
And we're on another round

And the night's just getting started
Or the night's just winding down

And your stories are not clouded yet by the ale
Or by the gin
They just make me feel as if I've known you

All my life again
Like the folds of summer dresses

Like the scent upon my wrist

Like the way you played guitar

Like a boxer punches with his fist

And taken or just lost to me
It's better now to say
I dwell in possibility

On New Year's Day

And this is what it looked like
When we started walking home
The night sky bleached to silver
Against the city's bones

In dreams or in our waking

It's just enough to say

Love and grace and endless flowers

Be ours on New Year's Day

And the folds of summer dresses

And the bangles on my wrist
And the way you played guitar
Like a boxer punches with his fist
And taken or just lost to us
It's better now to say

We dwell in possibility

On New Year's Day