Schoolhouse On A Hill

 

I went up to the schoolhouse on a hill

Hay bales were stacked in what had been the yard

Between the frames of the swings

And the basketball hoop on its pole

 

Some flakes of whitewash

Still on the bare wood of the schoolhouse wall

 

Mmh-mmh-mmh-mmh-mmh

Many years passed by

(I am) Dreamin’ dreamin’ dreamin’ dreamin

Dreamin’ dreamin’ dreamin’ dreamin’

In that schoolhouse on the hill

 

A dead woodpecker lay on the floor

Swallows had built their mud igloos on the wall

Still the school retained

A smell of morning milk, wet coats and spelling bees

 

The place had been heated by a great cast iron stove

Dusty and birdlimed now

 

Mmh-mmh-mmh-mmh-mmh

Many years passed by

 

(I am) Dreamin’ dreamin’ dreamin’ dreamin

Dreamin’ dreamin’ dreamin’ dreamin’

In that schoolhouse on the hill

 

In the teachers room somewhere down below
Ice heaves had wrecked the concrete floor
But everything else

Seemed to be (still) in place

 

The single bed, the upright chair

The rocker for the radio

 

Mmh-mmh-mmh-mmh-mmh

Many years passed by

(I am) Dreamin’ dreamin’ dreamin’ dreamin

Dreamin’ dreamin’ dreamin’ dreamin’

In that schoolhouse on the hill

 

(I am) Dreamin’ dreamin’ dreamin’ dreamin

Dreamin’ dreamin’ dreamin’ dreamin’

In that schoolhouse on the hill

 

(I am) Dreamin’ dreamin’ dreamin’ dreamin

Dreamin’ dreamin’ dreamin’ dreamin’

 

In that schoolhouse on the hill

 

Words from the book "Bad Land" by Jonathan Raban used with kind permission of the author.