whiskey breath and fading curls
aging skin as white as pearls
eyes as crazed as whippoorwills
scandalizing brown
she was once a thing to see
shattering hearts recklessly
lord's own grace and twenty three
all the boys came round to see
a dance for the charming a dance for the keen
a dance for the handsome and unforeseen
she lifts her heels like a young man's dream
Martha falling down
violins played in the square
black men sang and white men stared
Martha was a statue bared
stranger at her crown
her head became a symphony
her chest beat like a timpani
god above have sympathy
upon this woman now
a dance for the charming a dance for the keen
a dance for the handsome and unforeseen
she lifts her heels like a young man's dream
Martha falling down
they made love in the afternoon
to organ chimes and Claire de Lune
the smell of sex and diesel fumes
made the room spin round
now April brings a sticky rain
thick and wet as sugar cane
sweet corn bread and coffee stains
Martha falling down again
a dance for the charming a dance for the keen
a dance for the handsome and unforeseen
she lifts her heels like a young man's dream
Martha falling down
Martha sleeps at midnight mass
dreams of crocuses and Cuban jazz
and the love she should have had
Martha pales and frowns
a dance for the charming a dance for the keen
a dance for the handsome and unforeseen
she lifts her heels like a young man's dream
Martha falling down
Martha falling down