Martha's Catharsis Waltz
Words and Music by David R. Lister

Martha meanders through photos of friends
Wishing that some were alive
Should she feel guilty for causing their ends
Or sadly that none could survive
Martha has her own life left to live
And they needed more than she could give
The words on the backs of their photographs
Will serve them as fine epitaphs

Martha leafs lightly through letters kept neatly
Found bound in a box 'neath the bed
Skimming the writing she once read completely
She fears resurrecting the dead
Even Jesus grew old in a while
And he took all belief when he went
And all of these letters were prayers unanswered
By letters not written or sent

Old women convention and caustic'ly mention
What someone's old sin ought to cost
While bent men on benches swap lies of the wenches
And fishes and wishes they've lost
But the old wives have told all the scandalous parts
And the old men have known all their stories by heart
For years and years
Through smiles and tears
And all that appears
To be passing

Passing

Martha sighs, knowing her new life is growing
Now leaving no place for the past
The shrouded are crowded in boxes and going
To wastepaper hell at last
Martha has her own life left to live
And we pleaded more than she dared give
We were young and life thrilled us
Much too young when she killed us
At least Jesus went home thirty-three
After he had fulfilled destiny

At least Jesus went home