27
Instead Of Me
Who knew you’d die of an insect bite
in a foreign land where there’s no one white
in that hospital bed where you hallucinate
and the shutters won’t close and it’s getting late
it’s taking so long to die but at least you have satellite TV
and you chose him instead of me
instead of me

Who knew when I saw you for the last time
you’d be holding his hand, I’d pretend not to mind
next thing I hear you’ve been off traveling
the type of harmless gossip small talk often brings
didn’t mention you’d die, fulfill that tropical tragedy
or choose him instead of me
instead of me


You said while I may have talent
with a turn of phrase
when it came to making love
there were so many other ways


Travel is the opiate of the middle classes
with their backpacks and opinions
they spread faster than molasses
and they feel impotent at home but they feel powerful abroad
where there money’s worth a lot and people still believe in god
and you parents had such plans
but you went off in search of what you could see
and chose him instead of me
instead of me

Now I’ve experienced dejection
and I’ve experienced intense pleasure
only wish I’d experienced them
both in equal measure
and the phone rang, it was your mother
said that you were gone
don’t know why I’d admit this
but at that moment I felt strong
it’s taking so long to get over you but at least I have satellite TV
and you chose him instead of me
instead of me
Guitar and Voice: Jacob Wren
Recording: Radwan Ghazi Moumneh (hotel2tango)