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 --- The Ribs of a Broken Umbrella - Bell X1