Photographs Keep SecretsWhen YouBurnOut People's Faces

And I can see the sun

Beating down upon our shoulders

But I can’t feel the warmth or hear the laughs of our friends

Or hear the wise things they told us

Danny,

You were right, as always

On every day of every year

I should never have got involved with him

And yeah, it did end in tears

Samantha,

I knew you kind of liked me

But I only thought it was a bit

I swear I didn’t know it was hurting you

‘Cause maybe I wouldn’t told you about it

And Dad.

You didn’t care that I wasn’t the fastest kid

And loved me though I never won

But… then I kissed another boy

And now you say You Have No Son

Then there’s Mum, too

A parent whose rumoured to love unconditionally

Try all you want now, Ruth.

You’re dead to me.

And Michael.

Am I allowed to wonder where you are now?

But I guess it ain’t my place

Still, I’m looking at this photograph

And thinking of your face

We’re all on the beach

Arms slung around each others shoulders

But I can’t feel the warmth or hear the laughs of our friends

Or the wise things they told us

If I looked at this picture

When my sister hadn’t burnt out our faces

There might have been real smiles there

Instead of empty spaces