Because They’re Beautiful

all of 16 in a town with a checkerboard start
dreaming of dreams that are bound to fall apart
granma had a still where she fell in a molotov dress
granpa’s got a claw for a hand, tried to beat the flame’s dead

girls are the most crazy when their sisters are most shy
i spied one at the picture show so i told her a lie
i told her i was superman, i swore i could fly
she said “that’s just a dream boy” --still, she smiled
she was the first dream that i wish was all mine
sweet tart cold beautiful like lemon icebox pie

now i’m 21 in a city that claims to be
everything to everyone from everywhere that’s made it
lights tend the sky higher up than granpa ever climbed
people line the streets falling down dirtier than dimes

my dreams seem most crazy when i take ‘em out on the town
i find they’re most popular with the folks beat most down
but still these are the dreams that i’ll dream for all time
because they’re beautiful