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Birches

from Milltowns by Mark Erelli

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Mark Erelli - vocal, acoustic guitar
Sam Kassirer - piano

lyrics

They sat at each end of the couch
and watched as the fire burned down
So quiet on this winter's night
not a house-light on for miles around

Then he said, "I think I'll fill the stove
It's getting time for bed"
She looked up, "I think I'll have some wine
How 'bout you?" she asked, and he declined.

"Warren," she said,
"maybe just for tonight
let's fill the stove with birches
and watch as the fire burns bright.

How long has it been?
I know it's quite a while
Pour yourself half a glass
and stay with me a little while."

And Warren, he shook his head
as if she'd made some kind of joke
"Birches on a winter night?
No, we'll fill the stove with oak.

Oak will burn as long and hot
as a July afternoon.
Birch will burn itself out
by the rising of the moon.

And you hate a cold house same as me.
Am I right or not?"
"All right, all right that's true," she said
"It was just a thought."

Then she said, "Warren, you do look tired.
Maybe you should go up to bed.
I'll take care of the wood tonight."
"Oak," he told her. "Oak," she said.

She listened to his footsteps
as he climbed up the stairs
Then she pulled a sweater on her
and set her wine glass on a chair

She walked down cellar to the woodbox.
It was cold as an ice chest
Then climbed back up with four logs,
each as white as a wedding dress

And she filled the stove and poured the wine
Then she sat down on the floor
She curled her legs beneath her
as the fire sprang to life once more

And it filled the room with its hungry light
And it cracked as it drew air
And the shadows danced a jittery waltz
like no one else was there

She stood up in the heat
and she twirled around the room
And the shadows, they saw nothing
but a young girl on her honeymoon

And she knew the time, it would be short
Soon the fire would start to fade
She thought of heat, she thought of time
and she called it an even trade

-----------------------

Mark Erelli - vocal, acoustic guitar
Sam Kassirer - piano

credits

from Milltowns, released September 9, 2014
written by Bill Morrissey (Dry Fly Music/BMI, administered by Bug Music)

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all rights reserved

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Mark Erelli Boston, Massachusetts

"You know those artists who release a great first record and then have enormous trouble following it up with anything as interesting? Yeah, that’s not Mark Erelli." -Red Line Roots

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