There's a house across the river, but alas, I cannot swim
And a garden of such beauty that the flowers seem to grin
There's a house across the river, but alas, I cannot swim
I'll live my life regretting that I never jumped in.
There's a boy across the river with short black curly hair,
He wants to be my lover and I want to be his peer,
There's a boy across the river but alas, I cannot swim,
And I never will get to put my arms around him.
There's a life across the river that was meant for me,
Instead I live my life in constant misery.
There's a life across the river but I do not see
Why I should please those that will never be pleased.
There is gold across the river but I don't want none
Gold is fleeting, gold is fickle, gold is fun
There is gold across the river but I don't want none
I would rather be dry than held up by a golden gun
Saying 'work more and more' / live more, have more fun
- Alas, I Cannot Swim
Laura Marling
At the top of the flight of stairs in the middle of the school canteen, if you pause and look across the masses of heads bent over plates and bowls, you can see a strip of sea in the distance. Cobalt blue and glittering.
I have always felt like diving in.