She was upside down 

like a misused postage stamp 

stuck to a life she couldn’t believe 

I was breathing inside out 

by a firehouse 

trapped by an page too hard to read 

 

With moonlight eyes 

she said hello 

and walked, unhurried, across the sky 

The night was young 

The sun’s asleep 

I could not say goodbye 

 

Happy was a smoky place 

where men lost their shirts 

Women dance all night long 

just to lose their skirts 

 

I said, “Baby, let’s take a walk on the wild side 

. . . I can walk under ladders 

. . . don’t need no bracelet 

. . . no four-leaf clover 

. . . just as long as you are here with me.” 

 

That was then 

This is now 

Somehow we found our peace 

The joker laughed 

. . . played his cards 

and waited on the thief 

 

We showed our hand 

The dealer panned 

and swallowed in disbelief 

I felt the wind from his grin 

His teeth flashed paper-thin 

 

As the band played on 

. . . a simple song 

Lucky headed for the door 

She took my hand without a plan 

and finished her last pour 

 

She said, “Baby, let’s take a walk on the wild side . . . 

I can walk under ladders 

. . . don’t need no bracelet 

. . . no four-leaf clover 

. . . just as long as you are here with me.