The Lifeguard

The Lifeguard is not a woman; the Lifeguard is not a man The Lifeguard is not David Hasselhoff or Pamela Anderson The Lifeguard is not lotioning and oiling up there on the stand The Lifeguard is off-duty, not working on the tan The guard is no strong swimmer, won't pass the brickin' test The Lifeguard won't go in after you, revive you with a kiss The Lifeguard will do no chest compressions Will do no rescue breaths The Lifeguard is off-duty, so swim at your own risk! No lifeguard is on duty, so swim at your own pace The Lifeguard won't ride paddleboards or jet-skis past the break The Lifeguard won't show up in court to be held to account Won't listen while we plead the case for everyone who drowned That lifeguard must be busy, not giving shits or damns Maybe on vacation? Maybe on the can? Fa-fa-fa-fa psycho killer... What is that? What is this? The Lifeguard is off duty, so swim at your own risk! Did the Lifeguard see it coming, that dark night at the pool When you did the worst thing ever or had it done to you? Did the Lifeguard leave the lights out, out of malice or neglect? Did the Lifeguard let it happen, make it happen, forget? How every time I jack-knifed, I'd look up toward the stand To watch the Lifeguard watch me drowning in the deepest end And I would feel so guilty for days and days on end 'Cause I wasn't like the Lifeguard I saw living in my head Is the Lifeguard like the water in the pool and in the blood? A dark cloud raining acid on the just and the unjust? The injustice of what just is has no face and has no name The lifeguard just goes on and on like an ever-breaking wave The Lifeguard, the Lifeguard You are the Lifeguard Alive You are the Lifeguard You are the Lifeguard You are the Lifeguard You are alive