Song for Sophie (Lyrics)

Summer in Brooklyn
A summer in the Kingdom of the Jews
You lived above me
Neighbors and family—The people who you never really choose


I heard the floorboards
Heard him screaming, heard you sobbing, heard you moan
I heard you falling
I heard you falling like a stone

I heard him break you down

We took the subway
Out to Coney Island one warm day
And on the blanket
You told me all the things you couldn’t say
I watched the sunlight
Play around the edges of your face

It almost broke me down

You left me sleeping
You waded out, you waded through the waves
You touched me softly
And then you left
And then you swam away

And then you tried to drown

And when he took you
When he took you slowly off to sleep
I tried to reach you
But I couldn’t so I wandered to the beach

And I broke down

I woke in mourning
I woke at daybreak with sand in my hair
It was only morning—excellent and fair