There’s Someone Drowning (In The Public Square)

[Well, it was just like any other normal night and I decided to cut through the park]

It was any town, like one you’d know,
A central meeting place where the grasses grow,
A place to bring your children, walk the dog,
A park, and in the middle, a pond,
A crisp November, with a wind to boot,
Homeward bound, I take the scenic route,
Fall nights like this can be the finest,
Then a shriek cracks the silence.

(chorus)
Kids are laughing,
Checks are cashing,
Elders napping,
Parents mapping,
But someone’s drowning in the public square,
There’s someone drowning in the public square.
Lovers loving,
Cops harassing,
Stores are selling,
Students passing,
But someone’s drowning in the public square,
There’s someone drowning in the public square.
(chorus)

[Well, what I remember is his face. I don’t think I could forget that.]

I traced the cries of horror to a man,
Broken ice, where he used to stand,
You see the pond’s surface had given way,
Disbelief and terror on his face,
A look in his eyes like he had been betrayed,
His fingers ripped at the ice, torn and frayed,
His head submerged and he struggled back up,
Exhaling the water, his lungs: corrupt.

(Chorus)

[He was a ways out. I didn’t want to fall through myself. I needed help, quick.]

The streets were bustling as I went,
Through the crowd, the ending of some event,
Enlisting the help of someone who could,
A garbled scream, surely someone would!?

But I can’t get help, everyone avoids me,
Fear, disgust, mistrust, speckles their face,
They jump back as my presence, pops into their bubble,
They won’t help, they got lives of their own.

Shame from the woman with roots who dyes,
The baby can’t even be brought to cry,
Man with a mustache, brown coat, accusing eyes,
The listener never stops to question why.

(Chorus)

I yell with force,
I scream till I’m hoarse,
I wave you down,
I look you in the eye,
But no one comes,
No one comes.
I pound the ground,
I echo throughout town,
I wave you down,
I look you in the eye,
But no one comes,
No one comes.
I gave all the signs,
I howled and cried,
I wave you down,
I look you in the eye,
But no one comes,
No one comes.
I prayed to gods,
I called you frauds,
I wave you down,
I look you in the eye,
But no one comes,
No one comes.

My heart and breathe grew quick as I drew close,
Writhed on the ice, tried to push with my toes,
I reached as far as I could, tried and tried,
He reached, but was water and terror blind,
The ice broke beneath me, death in my cup,
I watched with shock as the man gave up,
And as the man sank below, I could see,
That man sinking to his death was me.

(partial chorus)
But someone’s drowning in the public square,
There’s someone drowning in the public square.
But someone’s drowning in the public square,
I just drowned and they just stared.
(partial chorus)

[It was me. All I wanted was someone to reach out to me.]