hope is a bastard

Ben Folds/Nick Hornby – Picture Window


Checked into the hospital New Year’s Eve;
Nothing to be done about that.
Rainbows, daffodils, she’s not naïve—
Symbolism’s all crap.

There’s a big picture window in the room on the ward
With a view over Parliament Hill,
But the view offers more joy than they can afford
When there’s this much pain to kill.

You know what hope is?
Hope is a bastard;
Hope is a liar, a cheat, and a tease.
Hope comes near you; kick its backside.
Got no place in days like these.

At dusk, the darkness surrenders to color
As the fireworks streak the sky,
And their window gives them the prettiest picture;
Their useless luck makes her want to cry.

Then it turns midnight;
The sh*tty whole year's spent.
Another mom gives her some sparkling wine,
And she nearly gives into the moment
But he’ll still be sick in two-thousand and nine.

You know what hope is?
Hope is a bastard;
Hope is a liar, a cheat, and a tease.
Hope comes near you; kick its backside.
Got no place in days like these.

And just as she’s thinking
Of pulling the blind down,
A rocket bursts in front of her eyes.
The city’s lit up London's given a black crown
And she tries and fails to stop—
Her spirits rise…

You know what hope is?
Hope is a bastard;
Hope is a liar, a cheat, and a tease.
Hope comes near you; kick its backside.
Got no place in days like these.

You know what hope is?
Hope is a bastard;
Hope is a liar, a cheat, and a tease.
Hope comes near you; kick its backside.
Got no place in days like these.