Routine (Demo)

What do I do with all the children's clothes?

Such tiny things that still smell of them

And the footprints in the hallway

Onto my knees, scrub them away

And how to be of use? Make the tea and the soup

All of their favourites, throw them away

And all their schoolbooks, and their running shoes

Washing them clean in the dirty steel sink

Routine keeps me in line

Helps me pass the time

Concentrates my mind

Helps me to sleep

And keep making beds, and keep the cat fed

Open the windows, let the air in

And keep the house clean, and keep the routine

Paintings they made still stuck to the fridge

La da-da, dah

La da-da, dah

Da, da-da-da

La, la-da-da

La da-da, dah

La da-da, dah

Da, da-da-da

La, da-da-da

And keep cleaning, keep ironing

Cooking their meals on the stainless steel hob

And keep washing, and keep scrubbing

Long until the dark comes to bruise the sky

Deep in debt to night

The most beautiful morning, forever

Like the ones from far off, far off away

With the hum of the bees in the jasmine sway

Don't ever let go

Try to let go

Don't ever let go

Try to let go

Don't ever—