waiting on a Greyhound in Ashland, Tennessee,
a too-thin woman is eying the sky nervously

and from the bigness of her eyes, I’d say
she’s been afraid for a very long time..

the lady in pink is smoking a cigarette,
she’s blocking out the world with an old tape player, and yet

when she lifts her sunglasses to smile at me, I look down and walk away
I’m headed home and there isn’t too much to say.

and the high school student strikes a pose, gazing up at the sun
her bleached-blond hair permed back unwillingly
but I think she could be pretty, yeah, I’m sure she could be pretty
waiting for a bus in Ashland, Tennessee..

a man buys his son some lunch from a vending machine,
a bag of cheese doodles, and some kind of soda that’s green

then he gives the boy a plastic egg, and it’s opened up with glee
the plastic gun inside is a gift, you see..

the teenage couple stare, they seem confused
he’s looking grimy, she’s looking tiny and used

and her childlike feet seem out of place
in a tight pair of black leather shoes
I don’t know where they’re going, but I hope they get there soon

and the high school student strikes a pose, gazing up at the sun
her bleached-blond hair permed back unwillingly
but I think she could be pretty, yeah, I’m sure she could be pretty
waiting for a bus in Ashland, Tennessee..

there is an old black man moving luggage from one bus to the other
and he’d look the same on a black and white TV

but he moves so softly, no one sees him, hardly even me
maybe he is waiting to die, maybe he is waiting to retire
maybe he’s just waiting for the bus to leave..

and I guess were all just striking poses, gazing up at the sun,
you make up your own analogy,
but I think this could be pretty, yeah, I’m sure it could be pretty,
waiting for a bus in Ashland, Tennessee...