Red Paper Box
I keep a key to nowhere, we used to own the door
I keep a piece of seaglass Daddy gave me at the shore
Here’s my picture shaking hands with the Governor
Mama framed it but I don’t know what I keep it for
My sweetheart gave me yellow beads on a purple string
An empty bottle of cologne reminds me of that spring
he rode off on his big white horse,
left me his brass ring
It’s tangled with the necklace now I wonder what that means
Chorus:
I’ll send it all to heaven in a red paper box
let the angels sort it out and connect the dots
Jesus, Lord, I trust You to wash out every spot
Make a thing of beauty in a red paper box
I took a man to marry and I started writing poems
cause love’s the deepest mystery, it soaks right to the bone
I keep this little woolen cap—our baby’s long ago—
each day gone forever is a tear as cold as snow
(repeat Chorus)
I got a pair of old shoes that left dust tracks on a road
I finally took them off here
there was nowhere left to go
I keep ‘em with the seaglass, the beads and poetry
When I’m gone they’ll take this stuff and throw out everything, so (repeat Chorus)
©Charlotte Ryerson