Christmas in the UK

Verse 1 (fragile, choking at start and end)

I… I walk down the streeeet, Christ-mas lights oooverhead,

They flicker like memo-ries of the words you said.

Snow-ooow falls heavy, but it melts on my face,

I stretch out your naaaame in the empt-y space.

Couples pass by, hand in hand, eyes bright,

But my shaaadow’s the only one with me to-night.

And I choke when I start, choke when I end,

Carolin’ alone with no heart to lend.

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Verse 2 (UK cadence, soft, broken)

I stop in the paaark, where the tree lights gleeeam,

Children sing carols, like a half-lost dream.

I whisper “merr-ry” but it cracks in the air,

Wraaaappin’ gifts alone with no one there.

Stockings still hang, but the room feels wrong,

I stretch out the word “looove” though you’ve been gone too long.

And the lights in the window don’t warm this chest,

Every syllable trembles when I try my best.

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Verse 3 (softer, outro-like, near crying)

I walk past the Christ-mas stalls, cold winds bite,

The scent of mulled wine fades into the niiiight.

The bells keep ringin’ but they sound like ache,

Every no-oote stretches out till it starts to break.

And I know you’re smilin’ somewhere new,

But I’m stumblin’ through Christ-mas with no more you.

And my voice climbs high, then it falls back low,

Like a cry in the dark as the snow-ooow still grows.