"North Dakota Slate Roof" lyrics

There's a slate roof and it lasts and lasts for years
There's a backyard pool, algal and fungus-filled, smells like beer
I turn back around, face the marching and twirling here
Convertibles and high-steppers with batons and swirling cheer

My old house is now a Head Start office
Re-painted a burnished burnt umber
And the woman riding shotgun in the soroptimist's car
Stares at me like she's got my number
I watch the parade, then I spot you
For the first time in twenty years where the grand old flag flew
Didn't expect to see you
Or this feeling if I did
You can learn to abide
Try to seem intrepid
It's so not true you can get used to anything
And if I'm stupid, I'll hit my grave, you in my ears with a deafening ring

I'm gonna get that ranch in North Dakota
Bison farm and sheltering in my shelter belt
Happy I'm a stone's throw from Minnesota
Far away, while practicing my new life well

I recall it all
Probably selective memory
Oh, the best times are
Cherished and forever there for me
Now I'm gonna do like I always said I would
I'm accepting what's real
And I love the starkness, and the spare and endless fields

Now I'm gonna do, what I always said I would
Build the fences, build the troughs, and buy the trucks, I think I could
Buy the feed, buy the farm, I'm buying, buying the farm

Salvation Army man's ringing the bell
Santa suit, but I recognize, I think I know him well
The old man says, he says, "Oh, hi"
Then I walk by, give him a high five
Pretty lame, but at least I tried
And if I'm honest, probably didn't want to give him that
And I think he can tell

I'm gonna get that ranch in North Dakota
Bison farm, and sheltering in my shelter belt
Happy I'm a stone's throw from Minnesota
Go real far away and practicing a new life well
New life well

Gonna build a house with a slate roof
Gonna build another house with a slate roof
Like I'd always talked about
That will last and last for years, no doubt

I'm gonna get that ranch in North Dakota
Bison farm, and sheltering in my shelter belt
Happy I'm a stone's throw from Minnesota
But I'm far away, practicing a new life well

New life well
New life well
Oh, it's a new life well
My new life
New life well
New life well