Martha

Operator, number please
It's been so many years
And she'll remember my old voice
While I fight the tears

Hello, hello there, is this Martha?
This is old Tom Frost
And I am calling long distance
Don't worry about the cost

It's been 40 years or more
Now Martha please recall
And meet me out for coffee where
We'll talk about it all

Chorus:

And those were days of roses
Poetry and prose and Martha
All I had was you and all you had was me
And there was no tomorrow's as we packed away our sorrows
And we saved it for a rainy day

And I feel so much older now
And you're much older too
Oh how's the husband and how's the kids?
You know that I got married too?

Oh lucky that ya found someone
To make you feel secure
Oh 'cause we were all so young and foolish
Now we are mature

(chorus)

And I was always so impulsive
I guess that I still am
But all that really mattered then
Was that I was a man

I guess that our being together
Was never meant to be
Oh, but Martha. Oh Martha, I love you, can't you see...

(chorus)

And I remember quiet evenings, trembling close to you...

Tom Waits, 1995