Erin Ash Sullivan - One Time I Stole a Book

"One Time I Stole A Book"

written by Erin Ash Sullivan
publisher Willoughby Music
produced by Doug Kwartler at Hollow Body Music, Chelmsford, MA

One time I stole a book—I’ll tell you why
It happened on a warm day in July
I was working one more summer in my tiny college town
The heat curled up my posters and the quiet pulled me down
They said the world would be my oyster when they gave me my degree
I disagreed—I didn’t know what I’d need

Meanwhile, in the same town, round the bend
Another era wound down to its end
A couple sealed the final boxes going to Goodwill
The rest of their possessions moving with them down the hill
He said, my steps have grown unsteady and your memory’s breaking free
She disagreed—she didn’t know what she’d need

How do you know if it’s an ending
or a spark
Give us grace to know the signposts and the marks

Pete and Dottie met before the war
Together they dreamed big and wanted more
Their home became a shrine to all the wonders they would see
A fertile ground for dreamers and for grandkids (that was me)
I said to them, you must have known that you were meant to be
They disagreed—they hadn’t known what they’d need

How do you know if it’s an ending
or a spark
Give us grace to know the signposts and the marks

So that day when I felt sorry for myself
I found a thrift shop and my eye fell on an old blue book upon the shelf
I opened up the cover and in writing small and neat
It said, December 1940, from your Dottie, to my Pete
And though the two bucks on the flyleaf was a reasonable fee
I disagreed—for once I knew what I’d need

How do you know if it’s an ending
or a spark
Give us grace to know the signposts and the marks

One time I stole a book—I’ll tell you why