Car on Mars

All I wanted was your attention. All I needed was your touch.

I can’t help but think of those times, and how they meant oh so much.

And then there was your smile, all inviting and so warm,

With eyes so deep and penetrating. Kept me sheltered in my storm.

I sit here keeping company with my thoughts. It’s a kind of noisy place.

There’s tears, pain, and confusion. There’s this big empty space.

And I’m giving myself such a hard time. Knockin’ ‘round my old heart.

Wishing that I could take it all back. Coming to a stop before I even start.

So here I am a little lost. Feeing like some distant astronaut.

Crossing barren wastelands; it’s a god forsaken spot.

All alone on this mission, out alone so very far.

Crawling over this dry, broken land. Like driving cars on Mars.

There’d be times we got to talking. We could say most anything.

And always there’d be laughter; chimin’ out with a ring.

I’m missing most of those, now. There’s a lacking in my smile.

‘Cause it’s all just idle chit chat, now. Only you were worth the while.

We were never want for doing; always someplace we could have to be.

And it was always an adventure, whenever you were there with me.

The future filled up with tomorrows and all the thing we’d get to done.

Then be’d coming up with more to do, as we watched the setting of the sun.

Ten minute delay, when I have to talk. That’s an eternity for a lonely astronaut.

Mission Control do you read me, from out here on this lonely hunk of rock?

Where it’s cold and dry and empty. Nowhere even near were you are.

All alone on this vast and empty alien land, driving cars on Mars.

Sometimes rocket get off course, landing where they aren’t meant to be.

Emotion’s an unstable fuel, sometimes, when you fly the galaxy.

Must have had our circuits crossed? Or maybe using other stellar charts?

Did you mean just for an orbit, when you touched down on my heart?

I’d give so much just to have you in my arms again; as a lover, as a friend.

Like the vastness of the universe, I sure hope we don’t have an end.

But there you are on the Launchpad, your gaze turned out into space.

Your helmet tucked under arm, a smile on your face.

And I can hear your final countdown, the painful sting of your good bye.

Your systems up your engines are go; now it’s time for you to fly.

Another world for you to walk in, another far and distant place.

Another destination, across the vast expansive reach of space.

I know that I’m just a dreamer. A wondering tripped out astronaut.

But sometimes what happens is for reasons; a little more often than not.

Maybe our rockets will cross again, somewhere out there in the stars.

And I’ll give up my little rover, no more driving cars on Mars.

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 The roots of this piece of lyrics come from two very different sources with two very different feelings. The title "Cars on mars" come from my astronomy professor at school, who dropped the phrase while discussing exploration of Mars. Thinking it a fun title, I jotted it down, thinking it'd make a neat little song about something fun or other.

It's content, however, sums up the odd events of a the last couple of months when a close friend and I - probably one of the most wonderful women in my life - got close. And then a bit too close.

In between here and there came this bit of prose. Like the surface of Mars, it's a bit rough and rocky; so there may be some hammering out to do, yet. But I think it gets the message across well enough. Well, at least I hope she knows. It's often fuzzy and akward where close friends might dare to tread, sometimes.

As for what kind of sound this was written for? Well, there wasn't one, really. It can sound a bit folky, or a bit jazz rock like, really; depending on how you hum it. I guess we'll just have to wait and find out when it finally meets instruments...