Paper Lanterns After Rain

[Intro] Soft rain taps on sidewalk stone Streetlamp hums a lonesome tone [Verse 1] Midnight clock ticks past the last bus line Neon bleeds into the wet asphalt shine My shoes squelch slow through puddles holding sky A stranger’s umbrella left a half-dry sigh I pass the 24/7 bento shop’s faint glow The owner’s dozing where the steam used to flow I trace the crack in the wall where we once scrawled our names Faded now, but still it warms my wandering frame [Chorus] Oh, these rain-washed streets sing a lullaby Old memories dance where the streetlights die A flicker of hope in a payphone’s faint green glow I’m not alone, not when the past won’t let me go Warm as the coffee you bought me that cold December night Nostalgia wraps me up, makes the dark feel light [Verse 2] A cat slinks past, tail high like a secret kept It pauses, blinks, then vanishes where the alley slept I spot our old bench, rain pooling in its slats The gum we stuck there still bears our initials’ scratch A taxi rumbles by, playing that song we used to know The driver’s singing off-key, but it makes my heart grow I kick a pebble that skips across the street For a second, I swear I can feel your hand in mine, sweet [Chorus] Oh, these rain-washed streets sing a lullaby Old memories dance where the streetlights die A flicker of hope in a payphone’s faint green glow I’m not alone, not when the past won’t let me go Warm as the coffee you bought me that cold December night Nostalgia wraps me up, makes the dark feel light [Bridge] The rain slows to a mist, the sky turns pale gray I see my apartment light, a tiny golden ray I know the day will come when the fades will fade more But for now, I’ll hold the warmth like a worn-out core No need for grand things, no need for a sign Just the quiet magic of a memory’s gentle shine [Outro] I turn the key, the door creaks soft and low The rain’s almost gone, the first bird starts to crow I smile, curl up, let the night’s last breath go