Billy lived out on the windswept island,
all rocky and green and exposed to the world
out there where ships rarely passed by
along with the humpback whales and seals.

There were holes and caves
where wandering cattle went to disappear
like lost souls at sea
and the trees were mostly gone
to fuel winter fires.

So Billy lived out on the windswept island
with his brothers and sisters and dad,
all huddled together and alone
but for the other two families.

As the oldest of five, Billie worked hard
baking the bread and sowing the seeds
while their dad helped keep the lighthouse burning
through day and night, fog and mist.

Though the weekends never really came at all
to mark the passing of tireless days,
each dusk Billie would take a break
and walk the fenceline set in from the cliffs.

He loved to watch the setting sun
and feel the last night drain away,
but most of all he hoped to catch a glimpse
of Rosa.

Rosa, with her strange sweet laugh,
she’d be out working in the garden sometimes
amongst the tulips and orchids
and carrots and spuds all in rows.
She’d look up and say hello
and Billie would feel warm and queasy,
those waves crashing inside.

Lighthouse light our way through mist and haze,
clouding all we see through distant days.
Let us have this time in this place
to be as one, as this.

Then one time as Billie walked by,
following the fenceline in the deepening dusk,
he saw Rosa there before him
working away in the solitary garden.

He asked her how it was coming along,
and she said, “fine”,
and as they spoke
he felt a little short of breath.

He was about to make an excuse to Rosa
and hurry on home when he heard himself say,
“would you like to go on a date?”.

She said she’d love to, through her windy smile,
and he felt all weak at the knees,
she said let’s meet at 10 tonight
by the old stables.

Well Billie’s dad was at the lighthouse that night
as he waited amongst the sea birds,
then he saw the moonlight catch her hair waving in the wind
and there they were.

They walked out beyond the fenecline and sat there by the cliffs,
while far below the wind blew the water white and black.
They drew closer timidly then finally they kissed,
wind and ocean whirling as they took each other in.

Lighthouse light our way through mist and haze,
clouding all we see through distant days.
Let us have this time in this place
to be as one, as this.