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Trailways Bus « See All Songs

LAZARUS

A passenger traveling quietly conceals himself
With a magazine and a sleepless pillow
Over the crest of the mountains
The moon begins its climb
And he wakes to find he’s in rolling farm land

The farmer sleeps against his wife
He wonders what their life must be
A Trailways bus is heading south
Into Washington, DC

A mother and child-the baby maybe two months old
Prepare themselves for sleep and feeding
The shadow of the Capitol dome
Slides across his face
And his heart is racing
With the urge to freedom

The father motionless as stone
A shepherd resting with his flock
The Trailways bus is turning west
Dallas via Little Rock

WAHZINAK

Oh my darling, darling Sal
The desert moon is my witness
I’ve no money to come East
But I know you’ll soon be here

LAZARUS

We pull into downtown Dallas
by the side of the grassy knoll
Where the leader fell, and a town was broken
Away from the feel and flow of life for so many years
He hears music playing and Spanish spoken

The border patrol outside of Tucson boarded the bus

BORDER PATROLMEN

Any aliens here, you better check with us
How ‘bout you son?
You like you’ve got Spanish blood
Do you “habla ingles”? Am I understood?

SAL

Yes, I am an alien from Mars
I come to earth from outer space
And if I traveled my whole life
You guys would still be on my case
You guys would still be on my case

LAZARUS

But he can’t leave his fears behind
He recalls each fatal thrust
The screams are carried by the wind
Phantom figures in the dust
Phantom figures in the dust
Phantom figures in the dust

© 1997 Lyrics by Paul Simon and Derek Walcott