Paper Crane Over Ember Hollow

Whistle and stomp intro, concertina wheeze

Verse

Eli's cap is black with coal smoke
He walks the road the bombs left broke
A rusted box, a broken dock
A letter folded in the lock

Chorus

Heave her up, boys, the sky is gray
Mail for the ones who slipped away
Heave her up, the sun will show
A paper crane where love must go

Verse

His own hand wrote before the flash
"Meet me when the dust is ash"
Mara's name, a promise kept
While all the town around him slept

Chorus

Heave her up, boys, the sky is gray
Mail for the ones who slipped away
Heave her up, the sun will show
A paper crane where love must go

Bridge

Spoken, then sung

He folds the note with trembling thumb
The clockwork engine beats like a drum
He lets it fly from the boiler's glow
A proof the heart still knows

Chorus

Heave her up, boys, the sky is gray
Mail for the ones who slipped away
Heave her up, the sun will show
A paper crane where love must go