The Ribs of a Broken Umbrella

She was only just a girl in a picture
But he thought if I could only make her smile
Then she'd be mine
He'd folded it, re-folded it so many times
He'd already lost some of her to the creases
Precious pieces

He wondered how close he'd ever been to her
In this ebb and flow of the distance between us
Maybe she got the same bus
And he left a trail of string wherever he went
When he was sleepin' he tied it to his toe
If she crossed it then he'd know

But he knew that all was unravelin'
And he was bare, stripped of his skin
Like the ribs of a broken umbrella
Stickin' out of a bin

He's pull his collar up against the wind
Against those who said that tryin'
Was the first step to failin', oh, he was railin'
And filled with new found purpose and pride
He'd make somethin' of this heady glow
Now where would she go?

But what do I know 'cause all is unravelin'
And he was bare, stripped off his skin
Like the ribs of a broken umbrella
Stickin' out of a bin

But he knew how to fix it, dear Liza, dear Liza
With time's great elixir, dear Liza, dear Liza

She was only just a girl in a picture
But he thought if I could only make her smile
Then she'd be mine
Oh, the thought of being faced with her
Gave him the fear and sometimes in the mornin' a tent
Oh Lord, give him strength

'Cause he knew that all was unravelin'
And he was bare, he was stripped of his skin
Yeah, he knew that all was unravelin'
And he was bare, he was stripped of his skin
Like the ribs of a broken umbrella
Stickin' out of a bin

Stickin' out of a bin
Stickin' out of a bin
Stickin' out of a bin