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The Curse by Josh Ritter
The Curse
Capo:no capo
Standard Tuning: EADGBe
Chords used:
EADGBE
Am:002210
C: 032010
Dm:000231
F: 133211
Intro: [F - Dm - Am - C] x2
Verse 1 chords:
F Dm
He opens his eyes, falls in love at first sight
Am C
With the girl in the doorway
F Dm
What beautiful lines, how full of life
Am C
After thousands of years what a face to wake up to
F Dm
He holds back a sigh as she touches his arm
Am C
She dusts off the bed where till now he's been sleeping
F Dm
Under miles of stone, the dried fig of his heart
Am C
Under scarab and bone starts back to its beating
Interlude 1: [F - Dm - Am - C]
Verse 2: [use verse 1 chords]
She carries him home in a beautiful boat
He watches the scene from a porthole in stowage
And he can hear all she says as she sits by his bed
And one day his lips answer her in her own language
The days quickly pass, he loves making her laugh
The first time he moves it's her hair that he touches
She asks 'Are you cursed?', he says 'I think that I'm cured'
Then he talks of the Nile and the girls in Bulrushes
Interlude 2: [F - Dm - Am - C]
Verse 3: [use verse 1 chords]
In New York he is laid in a glass covered case
He pretends he is dead, people crowd 'round to see him
But each night she comes 'round and the two wander down
The halls of the tomb that she calls a museum
Often he stops to rest, but then less and less
Then it's her that looks tired, staying up asking questions
He learns how to read from the papers that she
Is writing about him and he makes corrections
It's his face on her book, more and more come to look
Families from Iowa, upper Westsider's
Then one day it's too much, he decides to get up
And as chaos ensues he walks outside to find her
She's using a cane and her face looks too pale
But she's happy to see him, as they walk he supports her
She asks 'Are you cursed?', but his answers obscured
In a sandstorm of flash bulbs and rowdy reporters
Interlude 3: [F - Dm - Am - C] x5
Verse 4: [use verse 1 chords]
Such reanimation, the two tour the nation
He gets out of limos, he meets other women
He speaks of her fondly, their nights in the museum
But she's just one more rag now he's dragging behind him
She stops going out, she just lies there in bed
In hotels in whatever towns they are speaking
Then her face starts to set, her hands start to fold
Then one day the dried fig of her heart stops it's beating
Interlude 4: [F - Dm - Am - C] x2
Verse 5: [use verse 1 chords]
Long ago on the ship, she asked 'Why pyramids?'
He said think of them as an immense invitation
She asked 'Are you cursed?', he says 'I think that I'm cured'
Then he kissed her and hoped that she'd forget that question
------------------
version 2
Capo:5th fret
Fingerpicking continued throughout
C
e|-----------------|----------------|
B|------1----1-----|-----1----1-----|
G|------0----0-----|-----0----0-----| 3/4
D|-----------------|----------------| time
A|-3---------------|-3--------------|
E|-----------------|----------------|
Am
e|-----------------|----------------|
B|------1----1-----|-----1----1-----|
G|------2----2-----|-----2----2-----| 3/4
D|-----------------|----------------| time
A|-0---------------|-0--------------|
E|-----------------|----------------|
Em
e|-----------------|----------------|
B|------0----0-----|-----0----0-----|
G|------0----0-----|-----0----0-----| 3/4
D|-----------------|----------------| time
A|-----------------|----------------|
E|-0---------------|-0--------------|
G Gsus G5
e|-----------------|----------------|
B|------0----0-----|-----1----3-----|
G|------0----0-----|-----0----0-----| 3/4
D|-----------------|----------------| time
A|-----------------|----------------|
E|-3---------------|-3--------------|
[Intro]
C Am Em G (x2)
[Verse 1]
C Am
He opens his eyes, falls in love at first sight
Em G
With the girl in the doorway
C Am
What beautiful lines, how full of life
Em G
After thousands of years what a face to wake up to
C Am
He holds back a sigh as she touches his arm
Em G
She dusts off the bed where 'til now he's been sleeping
C Am
Under miles of stone, the dried fig of his heart
Em G
Under scarab and bone starts back to its beating
[Interlude 1]
C Am Em G
[Verse 2]
C Am
She carries him home in a beautiful boat
Em G
He watches the scene from a porthole in stowage
C Am
And he can hear all she says as she sits by his bed
Em G
And one day his lips answer her in her own language
C Am
The days quickly pass, he loves making her laugh
Em G
The first time he moves it's her hair that he touches
C Am
She asks "Are you cursed?" He says, "I think that I'm cured"
Em G
Then he talks of the Nile and the girls in Bulrushes
[Interlude 1]
C Am Em G
[Verse 3]
C Am
In New York he is laid in a glass covered case
Em G
He pretends he is dead, people crowd 'round to see him
C Am
But each night she comes 'round and the two wander down
Em G
The halls of the tomb that she calls a museum
C Am
Often he stops to rest, but then less and less
Em G
Then it's her that looks tired, staying up asking questions
C Am
He learns how to read from the papers that she
Em G
Is writing about him and he makes corrections
[Verse 4]
C Am
It's his face on her book, more and more come to look
Em G
Families from Iowa, Upper West Siders
C Am
Then one day it's too much, he decides to get up
Em G
And as chaos ensues he walks outside to find her
C Am
She's using a cane and her face looks too pale
Em G
But she's happy to see him, as they walk he supports her
C Am
She asks "Are you cursed?" but his answer's obscured
Em G
In a sandstorm of flash bulbs and rowdy reporters
[Interlude 2]
C Am Em G (x5)
[Verse 5]
C Am
Such reanimation, the two tour the nation
Em G
He gets out of limos, he meets other women
C Am
He speaks of her fondly, their nights in the museum
Em G
But she's just one more rag now he's dragging behind him
C Am
She stops going out, she just lies there in bed
Em G
In hotels in whatever towns they are speaking
C Am
Then her face starts to set and her hands start to fold
Em G
Then one day the dried fig of her heart stops its beating
[Interlude 3]
C Am Em G (x2)
[Verse 6]
C Am
Long ago on the ship, she asked, "Why pyramids?"
Em G
He said, "Think of thEm as an immense invitation"
C Am
She asked, "Are you cursed?" He said, "I think that I'm cured"
Em G
Then he kissed her and hoped that she'd forget that question
[Outro]
C Am Em G (x2)
C
------------------
version 3
Capo:no capo
Standard tuning,EADGBe
CHORDS USED:
EADGBe
300000
020000
054030
002210
e----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B-----0-0---0-0----0-0---0-0-----3-3---3-3------1-1---1-1--------------------|
G-----0-0---0-0----0-0---0-0-----0-0---0-0------2-2---2-2--------------------|
D----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A---------------2------2------5------5--------0----0-------------------------|
E--3------3------------------------------------------------------------------|
He opens his eyes
Falls in love at first sight
With the girl in the doorway
What beautiful lines
Heart full of life
After thousands of years, what a face to wake up to
He holds back a sigh
As she touches his arm
She dusts off the bed where til now he's been sleeping
Under miles of stone
The dry fig of his heart
Under scarab and bone
Starts back to its beating
She carries him home
In a beautiful boat
He watches the sea from a porthole in stowage
He can hear all she says
As she sits by his bed
And one day his lips answered her
In her own language
The days quickly pass
He loves making her laugh
The first time he moves it's her hair that he touches
She asks "Are you cursed?"
He says "I think that I'm cured."
Then he talks of the Nile and the girls in ?bull rushes?
In New York he is laid
In a glass covered case
He pretends he is dead
People crowd round to see him
But at night she comes round
And the two wander down the halls of the tomb
That she calls a museum
But he stops to rest
Then less and less
Then it's her that looks tired
Staying up asking questions
He learns how to read
From the papers that she is writing about him
Then he makes corrections
It's his face on her book
More come to look
Families from Iowa
Upper West-Siders
Then one day it's too much
He decides to get up
Then as chaos ensues he walks outside to find her
She is using a cane
And her face looks too pale
But she's happy to see him
As they walk he supports her
She asks "Are you cursed?"
But his answer is obscured
In a sandstorm of flashbulbs
Rowdy reporters
Such reanimation
The two tour the nation
He gets out of limos
Meets other women
He speaks of her fondly
Their nights in the museum
She's just one more rag now he's dragging behind him
She stops going out
She just lies there in bed
In hotels in whatever towns they are speaking
Then her face starts to set
And her hands start to fold
Then one day the dry fig of her heart stops its beating
Long ago on the ship
She asked why pyramids
He said "Think of them as an immense invitation."
She asks "Are you cursed?"
He says "I think that I'm cured."
Then he kissed her and hoped
That she'd forget that question
------------------
version 4
Capo:no capo
This song is a waltz (3/4 time), so on a guitar you just hit the tonic on the
first beat and then the rest of the chord on the second and third beats. The
chords here are F(133211), Dm(xx0231 / xx3231), Am(x02210), and C/G(332010).
To keep things a little more interesting and melodic, the bass note moves
through the song:
F F Dm Dm Am Am C C/G
--1-1---1-1---1-1---1-1---0-0---0-0---0-0---0-0---|
--1-1---1-1---3-3---3-3---1-1---1-1---1-1---1-1---|
--2-2---2-2---2-2---2-2---2-2---2-2---0-0---0-0---|
------------0-----3-----2-------------------------|
------3-----------------------0-----3-------------|
1-----------------------------------------3-------|
This pattern repeats through the whole song
F F Dm Dm
He opens his eyes, falls in love at first sight
Am Am C C/G
With the girl in the doorway
F F Dm Dm
What beautiful lines, how full of life
Am Am C C/G
After thousands of years what a face to wake up to
F F Dm Dm
He holds back a sigh as she touches his arm
Am Am C C/G
She dusts off the bed where till now he's been sleeping
F F Dm Dm
Under miles of stone, the dried fig of his heart
Am Am C C/G
Under scarab and bone starts back to its beating
She carries him home in a beautiful boat
He watches the scene from a porthole in stowage
And he can hear all she says as she sits by his bed
And one day his lips answer her in her own language
The days quickly pass, he loves making her laugh
The first time he moves it's her hair that he touches
She asks, "are you cursed?" he says "I think that I'm cured"
Then he talks of the Nile and the girls in Bulrushes
In New York he is laid in a glass covered case
He pretends he is dead, people crowd round to see him
But each night she comes round and the two wander down
The halls of the tomb that she calls a museum
Often he stops to rest, but then less and less
Then it's her that looks tired, staying up asking questions
He learns how to read from the papers that she
Is writing about him and he makes corrections
It's his face on her book, more and more come to look
Families from Iowa, Upper Westsiders
Then one day it's too much, he decides to get up
And as chaos ensues he walks outside to find her
She's using a cane and her face looks too pale
But she's happy to see him, as they walk he supports her
She asks, "are you cursed?", but his answer's obscured
In a sandstorm of flash bulbs and rowdy reporters
Such reanimation, the two tour the nation
He gets out of limos, he meets other women
He speaks of her fondly, their nights in the museum
But she's just one more rag now he's dragging behind him
She stops going out, she just lies there in bed
In hotels in whatever towns they are speaking
Then her face starts to set, her hands start to fold
Then one day the dried fig of her heart stops it's beating
Long ago in the ship, she asked, "why pyramids?"
He said think of them as an immense invitation
She asked, "are you cursed?" he says, "I think that I'm cured"
Then he kissed her and hoped that she'd forget that question
------------------
version 5
Tuning:E A D G B E
Key:G
Capo:5th fret
[Intro] C Am Em G
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2------0-0----0-0-----0-0----0-0------------|
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
A|----3------3--------0------0--------2------2--------------2----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------3----------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2------0-0----0-0-----0-0----0-0------------|
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
A|----3------3--------0------0--------2------2--------------2----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------3----------------------|
[Verse 1] C Am Em G
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2------0-0----0-0-----0-0----0-0------------|
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
A|----3------3--------0------0--------2------2--------------2----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------3----------------------|
1. He opens... love at... girl... doorway...
2. holds... touches... dusts... now...
C Am Em G
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2------0-0----0-0-----0-0----0-0------------|
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
A|----3------3--------0------0--------2------2--------------2----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------3----------------------|
1. beautiful... how full... thousands... face...
2. miles... fig... scarab... back...
[Instrumental] C Am Em G
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2------0-0----0-0-----0-0----0-0------------|
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
A|----3------3--------0------0--------2------2--------------2----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------3----------------------|
[Verse 2] C Am Em G
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2------0-0----0-0-----0-0----0-0------------|
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
A|----3------3--------0------0--------2------2--------------2----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------3----------------------|
1. carries... beautiful... watches... porthole...
2. days... making... first... hair...
C Am Em G
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2------0-0----0-0-----0-0----0-0------------|
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
A|----3------3--------0------0--------2------2--------------2----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------3----------------------|
1. hear... sits... day... in...
2. are you... think... talks... girls...
[Instrumental] C Am Em G
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2------0-0----0-0-----0-0----0-0------------|
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
A|----3------3--------0------0--------2------2--------------2----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------3----------------------|
C Am Em G
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2------0-0----0-0-----0-0----0-0------------|
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
A|----3------3--------0------0--------2------2--------------2----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------3----------------------|
[Verse 3] C Am Em G
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2------0-0----0-0-----0-0----0-0------------|
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
A|----3------3--------0------0--------2------2--------------2----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------3----------------------|
1. York... glass... pretends... crowd...
2. he... then... her... up...
C Am Em G
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2------0-0----0-0-----0-0----0-0------------|
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
A|----3------3--------0------0--------2------2--------------2----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------3----------------------|
1. night... two... halls... calls...
2. learns... papers... writing... he...
[Verse 4] C Am Em G
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2------0-0----0-0-----0-0----0-0------------|
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
A|----3------3--------0------0--------2------2--------------2----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------3----------------------|
1. face... more come... Families... upper...
2. using... face... happy... walk...
C Am Em G
e|----------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|----------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2------0-0----0-0--------0-0-----0-0---------
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2--------0-0-----0-0---------
A|----3------3--------0------0--------2------2------------------2-------------
E|------------------------------------------------------3---------------------
1. day... decides... chaos... outside...
2. asks... answer's... sandstorm... and rowdy reporters
(Slow down)
|
|
|
|
|
|
[Instrumental 2] C Am Em G
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|------1-1----1-1------1-1----1-1------0-0----0-0--------0-0-0-3-0----------|
G|------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2------0-0----0-0--------0-0-0-0-0----------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|----3------3--------0------0-----------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------0-----0-----------3--------------------|
x2
C Am Em G
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2------0-0----0-0-----0-0----0-0------------|
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
A|----3------3--------0------0--------2------2--------------2----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------3----------------------|
x3
[Verse 5] C Am Em G
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2------0-0----0-0-----0-0----0-0------------|
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
A|----3------3--------0------0--------2------2--------------2----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------3----------------------|
1. reanimation... two... gets... meets...
2. stops... lies... hotels... towns...
C Am Em G
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2------0-0----0-0-----0-0----0-0------------|
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
A|----3------3--------0------0--------2------2--------------2----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------3----------------------|
1. speaks... nights... just... dragging...
2. Face... hands... day... heart...
(Slow down)
Wait four beats.
This part is both my own little flair and something Ritter does live. You can
continue using the normal
chord setup, but if you want the song to be way more sad, then follow this.
1) The idea is to play a bit slower like 3/4 instead of 4/4 (not exactly but
you get the point).
2) Switch Em and Am.
This makes the bass notes descend which I think sounds really nice after she
dies. Makes it slower and
sadder.
[Instrumental 3] C Em Am G
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------0-0----0-0------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
A|----3------3--------2------2--------0------0--------------2----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------3----------------------|
C Em Am G
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------0-0----0-0------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
A|----3------3--------2------2--------0------0--------------2----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------3----------------------|
[Verse 6] C Em Am G
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------0-0----0-0------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
A|----3------3--------2------2--------0------0--------------2----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------3----------------------|
Long... why... think... immense...
C Em Am G
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------0-0----0-0------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
A|----3------3--------2------2--------0------0--------------2----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------3----------------------|
Asked... think... kissed... forget that question
(Slow down)
Finally comes the outro. I like to alter the rhythm to mimic a heartbeat. Same
chords as the final verse.
Do the timing however you'd like.
[Outro] C Em Am G
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------0-0----0-0------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0------------|
A|----3------3--------2------2--------0------0--------------2----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------3----------------------|
C Em Am G C
e|----------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|----------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|------0-0----0-0------0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0-------------
D|------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2------2-2----2-2-----0-0----0-0-------------
A|----3------3--------2------2--------0------0--------------2-----------3-----
E|----------------------------------------------------3-----------------------
-|
-|
-|
-|
-| <--- Don't forget this last
-| note.
He opens his eyes, falls in love at first sight
With the girl in the doorway
What beautiful lines, how full of life
After thousands of years what a face to wake up to
He holds back a sigh as she touches his arm
She dusts off the bed where till now he's been sleeping
Under miles of stone, the dried fig of his heart
Under scarab and bone starts back to its beating
She carries him home in a beautiful boat
He watches the sea from a porthole in stowage
He can hear all she says as she sits by his bed
Then one day his lips answer her in her own language
The days quickly pass, he loves making her laugh
The first time he moves it's her hair that he touches
She asks "Are you cursed?" He says "I think that I'm cured"
Then he talks of the Nile and the girls in bull rushes
In New York he is laid in a glass-covered case
He pretends he is dead, people crowd round to see him
But each night she comes round, and the two wander down
The halls of the tomb that she calls a museum
Often he stops to rest, but then less and less
Then it's her that looks tired, staying up asking questions
He learns how to read from the papers that she
Is writing about him and he makes corrections
It's his face on her book and more and more come to look
Families from Iowa, upper West-siders
Then one day it's too much, he decides to get up
And as chaos ensues, he walks outside to find her
She's using a cane, and her face looks too pale
But she's happy to see him, as they walk he supports her
She asks "Are you cursed?" but his answer's obscured
In a sandstorm of flashbulbs and rowdy reporters
Such reanimation, the two tour the nation
He gets out of limos, he meets other women
He speaks of her fondly, their nights in the museum
But she's just one more rag now he's dragging behind him
She stops going out, she just lies there in bed
In hotels in whatever towns they are speaking
Then her face starts to set and her hands start to fold
And one day the dry fig of her heart stops its beating
Long ago on the ship, she asked "Why pyramids?"
He said "Think of them as an immense invitation"
She asks "Are you cursed?" He says "I think that I'm cured"
Then he kissed her and hoped that she'd forget that question
------------------
version 6
Tuning:E A D G B E
Capo:no capo
Intro
E|----------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|--------0-0--------0-0-------------3-3-------------------1-1----------------
G|--------0-0--------0-0-------------0-0-------------------2-2----------------
D|------------X2----------X2---------------X2---------------------X2----------
A|-----------------------------5----------------------0-----------------------
E|-----3---------0------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------|
--------------------------|
--------------------------|
--------------------------|
--------------------------|
--------------------------|
He opens his eyes, falls in love at first sight
With the girl in the doorway
What beautiful lines, how full of life
After thousands of years what a face to wake up to
He holds back a sigh as she touches his arm
She dusts off the bed where till now he's been sleeping
Under miles of stone, the dried fig of his heart
Under scarab and bone starts back to its beating
She carries him home in a beautiful boat
He watches the sea from a porthole in stowage
He can hear all she says as she sits by his bed
Then one day his lips answer her in her own language
The days quickly pass, he loves making her laugh
The first time he moves it's her hair that he touches
She asks "Are you cursed?" He says "I think that I'm cured"
Then he talks of the Nile and the girls in bull rushes
In New York he is laid in a glass-covered case
He pretends he is dead, people crowd round to see him
But each night she comes round, and the two wander down
The halls of the tomb that she calls a museum
Often he stops to rest, but then less and less
Then it's her that looks tired, staying up asking questions
He learns how to read from the papers that she
Is writing about him and he makes corrections
It's his face on her book and more and more come to look
Families from Iowa, upper West-siders
Then one day it's too much, he decides to get up
And as chaos ensues, he walks outside to find her
She's using a cane, and her face looks too pale
But she's happy to see him, as they walk he supports her
She asks "Are you cursed?" but his answer's obscured
In a sandstorm of flashbulbs and rowdy reporters
Such reanimation, the two tour the nation
He gets out of limos, he meets other women
He speaks of her fondly, their nights in the museum
But she's just one more rag now he's dragging behind him
She stops going out, she just lies there in bed
In hotels in whatever towns they are speaking
Then her face starts to set and her hands start to fold
And one day the dry fig of her heart stops its beating
Long ago on the ship, she asked "Why pyramids?"
He said "Think of them as an immense invitation"
She asks "Are you cursed?" He says "I think that I'm cured"
Then he kissed her and hoped that she'd forget that question
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