TIGER LILY & PETE

[Verse 1]
So here we have the spawn of Doug and Shay Lavonne on the back lawn swing set /
Hoping he’ll get high enough to fly over the fence /
And see the wind crawl across a field of wheat /
Blue skies that stretch beyond horizons with the subtle smell of summer air and freedom /
And he’s prepared to do great things /
and emulate his hero’s latest accolades /
So it suffice to say that ambition was his mission /
With great wit he felt he’d make is greatness witnessed — the kid was /
Ready to rid the realm of wicked-hearted minions /
and the harbingers of evil wherever they exist /
And driven by youthful ignorance to fight for princesses /
on marooner’s rock for the noble prize of a kiss /
And this was how they first met /
her hair dark jet, soft olive skin /
and when she pecked his cheek his little stomach felt like floating dandelion seeds /
and his ears burned a scarlet shade of red, but he said: /

[Hook 1]
My name’s Pete. Will you be my Tiger Lily? /
And promise never to grow old forever with me? /
I’m having too much fun to ever stop being young /
So I figure I’ll just never grow up /

Hey, my name’s Pete. Will you be my Tiger Lily? /
And promise never to grow old forever with me? /
Because the curse of the young is that they all grow up /
And forget what it’s like to have fun /

[Verse 2]
His name was Pete, her name was Tiger Lily /
She promised that she’d never grow old forever with him /
But they did. Time is an inexorable engine /
And witnessed the kids grow distant /
They grew up in an instant and then they grew apart /
He went in to business and she pursued the arts /
And all she wanted was his love and a companion for adventure /
But he felt a larger base pension was a better investment /
So Pete went on to wed a more conventional Wendy /
And they lived a life of plenty that eventually felt empty /
Cuz spreadsheets and pinstriped cloth /
Amounted annual accomplishment to squeezing out an extra couple bucks /
But oftentimes money ain’t enough /
To make a man feel full when his skin starts to show liverspots /
And the older he got the more he choked on regret /
Over promises he never kept every time he said: /

[Hook 2]
My name’s Pete. Will you be my Tiger Lily? /
And promise never to grow old forever with me? /
I’m having too much fun to ever stop being young /
So I figure I’ll just never grow up /

Hey, my name’s Pete. Will you be my Tiger Lily? /
And promise never to grow old forever with me? /
Because the curse of the young is that they all grow up /
And regret the things that can’t be undone /

[Verse 3]
Before too long "It’s 5 ’o clock and I need a drink” /
became “It’s 530 and I need some sleep” /
Cuz poor Pete was no Dorian Gray—just grey now /
Tuck Everlasting heart under weight of age /
And it took every last thing out of him to lay down autonomy /
To live retired, always tired, thinking: “they’ve forgotten me” /
What a bitter epilogue to success /
A late ex-wife, estranged kids, and no real friends left /
He felt like exhaled breath, what he would give for some back /
To chase his shadow once again as a kid /
Before his labyrinthine thoughts made him feel scared and lost /
And confused while his telomeres disappeared /
But this was how they met again /
Her hair dark jet, same olive skin /
His eyes trickled warmth and as he smiled Pete's wrinkled lips quivered /
So she smiled back politely as he earnestly whimpered /

[Hook 3]
My name’s Pete. Is that you Tiger Lily? /
Who promised never to grow old forever with me? /
We had too much fun to ever stop being young /
And I wish we would have never grown up /
Hey, my name’s Pete. Will you be my Tiger Lily?
And promise never to grow old forever with me?
Because the curse we’ve succumbed to is that we’ve grown up /
But you remind me what it is to feel young /