suitcase in hand lilac continues down the cold pavement
in the dead city under a red moon
knocks on a door asks for a room
climbs hundred steps behind a fat woman
black eyes are staring above silver doorchains
at the new tenant as the fat woman says

you better keep away from open windows
you better keep away from open windows
she gives her a strange look when she opens the door
you better keep away from open windows
you better keep away from open windows
and she leaves her alone
there are spiders in the corners of the room

she puts down her suitcase the floorboards are creaking
she moves her forefinger in the dust of the mirror
until she sees her white face
she leans out the window a black cat is running
on the rooftop towards her showing his claws
swishing his tail at the new tenant
cats have nine lives or so goes the saying

you better keep away from open windows
you better keep away from open windows
lilac says to the cat as she waves him away
you better keep away from open windows
you better keep away from open windows
and she turns and she thinks and she

damns her mother and her father who had never cared about her
and her sister and her brother who had always thought her ugly
and her playmates who had taken all her lollies and her chocolates
and her idiotic lovers who had no idea of fucking
and the stupid teachers in the rotten suburb school she went to
who had killed whatever talent she possessed in next to no time
and the guy in sunday school who said she‘d go to heaven after all

she pushes a chair towards the window
steps on the seat then onto the sill
and spreads her long arms
she doesn’t notice the man opposite her
in the brightly lit room who opens his mouth
in gaping surprise at the delicate bird trying to fly
towards the sky

and then she shuts her eyes and falls
she falls past the watching eyes
her hair above her like a flame
until she hits the ground
until she hits the ground

you better keep away from open windows
you better keep away from open windows
the man hollers out but it’s a little to late
you better keep away from open windows
you better keep away from open windows
he repeats like a madman
until his woman shuts him up

lilac the lovely lies on the pavement
red her around her like the soft halo
around the moon