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While the first song she inspired me to write, "Lightning of Love" was more playful and upbeat, this song was meant to be more somber and self-deprecating. I chose not to write her for a week to see if she would notice and she never wrote to me at all. At first I was devastated, but I couldn't resist writing back to her and I suddenly felt more hopeful instead of dismal, which is unusual of my character. And instead of this song being melancholy like I intended I found myself making drastic decisions to keep hope alive.

Ballad of a Desolate Man

I spent some time wandering down on Lonely Street
Rummaging through the garbage of the Heartbreak Hotel
I couldn’t afford a room, so I just walked the beat
Picking up scraps of memories that I could sell
From the ones who say they love you
And have no love in their hearts
To the scoundrels high above you
Where this blind tradition starts
The woman they made of you
They have split down in two parts
Half that half expects someone to make you whole
And the other half that fears you’re losing all control

But hold on (hold on)
There’s something in the air
I can’t put my finger on it ‘cause it’s not exactly clear
And hold on (hold on)
There’s hope yet for you and I
I won’t let this clouded vision just wither up and die
And I’m holding, I’m holding
I’m holding on
Yes, I’m holding, I’m holding
I’m holding on
And I’m holding, I’m holding
I’m holding on

The people that live here, they are rather kind
But I try not to talk too much as I attempt to settle in
I carry your picture around with me, but they don’t seem to mind
The look on their poor faces, God, I don’t know where to begin
The colors of the sky tonight
They swirl through blue and gray
All hope is packed up tight
Somewhere and locked away
And there’s no one here willing to fight
For the dreams of yesterday
But I’m dreaming of a garden that smells of your perfume
And hoping that there’s happiness on the dark side of the moon

So I hold on (hold on)
‘Cause there’s something in the air
I can’t put my finger on it ‘cause it’s not exactly clear
And hold on (hold on)
There’s hope yet for you and I
I won’t let this clouded vision just wither up and die
And I’m holding, I’m holding
I’m holding on
Yes, I’m holding, I’m holding
I’m holding on
And I’m holding, I’m holding
I’m holding on
To the love I have for you
For which my whole world was built upon

This city bares resemblance to a heaven with no clue
Of how to satisfy the sacred angels we pursue
So the demons of our mind close in at will and run right through
Any thought within my heart that has reminded me of you

The other day I walked to the drugstore with some change to spare
And moped on down the aisles, senseless and confused
The shelves were stocked with dust and webs and trinkets of despair
But I bought nothing there that day, nothing I could have used
Then I came upon an aisle
Full of beauty and sunshine
By the window of your smile
And your simple soul divine
And I stood there awhile
To watch perfection intertwine
With everything that I just knew had to be true
I ran like hell without looking back and, baby, it was you

Who told me to hold on (hold on)
There’s something in the air
I can’t put my finger on it ‘cause it’s not exactly clear
You said hold on (hold on)
There’s hope yet for you and I
I won’t let this clouded vision just wither up and die
And I’m holding, I’m holding
I’m holding on
Yes, I’m holding, I’m holding
I’m holding on
And I’m holding, I’m holding
I’m holding on
We may be too far away
But I won’t be too far gone

So I’m holding, I’m holding
I’m holding on
Yes, I’m holding, I’m holding
I’m holding on
And I’m holding, I’m holding
I’m holding on
But I must try to get some sleep
It’s almost dawn