Summer Ghosts - Ben Watt

Thought I had a degree of resistance

But look at me, seeking assistance

A neutral voice to talk to

A room to walk to in the city

With a painting of a mother, pretty

And another of a father in my eye line

Forcing me to try to take stock

To face up, wind back the clock

Push down the fear

Bring the summer ghosts near

And when you look back you find you haven’t travelled far

You thought you’d changed until reminded who you are

And every piece of you that you volunteer

Just brings the summer ghosts near

My folks were just people with their own shit

And god knows there was enough of it

Wrapped up in themselves

Jazz on the shelves

It’s how you deal with it

How not to make a meal of it

I watch the dark come, then let it go

I can be the Zen master, I know

Though it’s easier when you’re shot of it

As opposed to when there’s really quite a lot of it

And when you look back you find you haven’t travelled far

You thought you’d changed until reminded who you are

And every piece of you that you volunteer

Just brings the summer ghosts near

Just brings the summer ghosts near

This is Spring Bank where I walked years ago

Welcome to a world I used to know

Now it’s clearance sales

Saturday hair and nails

Loans and help with debt

Flats over shops to let

Up goes the Hilton

On the corner of Ferensway

The first for a long time

It feels like yesterday

Hard blows the easterly

My grandad was born here

Out on the Anlaby Road

And when you look back you find you haven’t travelled far

You thought you’d changed until reminded who you are

And every piece of you that you volunteer

Just brings the summer ghosts near

Brings the summer ghosts near

Past the Land of the Green Ginger

Through Hepworth’s Arcade

Past the Land of the Green Ginger

Down Whitefriargate