Wild Eyes Open

Mama is sleeping In a chapel on a hill It's the house she couldn't leave In the story I can't tell And a bat lives in the steeple Just below the bell Hiding from the people Who cry out Why me? Oh Keep those wild eyes open Keep them young and bright Keep those wide eyes hoping It's gonna be alright You know it's gonna be alright Her neighbors bought her flowers When her garden went to seed And the bell rang loud for hours When it came her time to leave She left us like a lion And died just like a lamb If it weren't for all her crying I'd rewind Just to say goodbye again She loved my baby girl Like the summer loves a storm She said you're an old soul, I've known Since the very day that you were born, So tell me all your secrets You just came from where I'm goin' Who are you? Are you a little piece of god? That came down for me to hold A little piece of god. Keep those wild eyes open Keep them young and bright Keep those wide eyes hoping It's gonna be alright You know it's gonna be alright The mouse is in the sunroom I think he's still alive Could you drive him to the river Where he'll live a better life? He wasn't meant to be here In these old church walls And he must be getting tired of fighting An infant to her future Standing out in the open Outliving every reaper Like a stubborn grain of sand The best way to lose my hair she said is watch it come comin' out in my granddaughters hands A bat lives in the steeple So when you leave at night Just pull the door behind you So he won't fly inside She left us like a lion And died just like a lamb If it weren't for all my crying I'd be reaching out my hand Saying mama please don't go Keep those wild eyes open Keep them young and bright Keep those wide eyes hoping It's gonna be alright You know it's gonna be alright"