As I Washed The Blood Off Lyrics - Fatima Mansions

As I washed the blood off she yelled at me 

though no blows had been struck 

and she still looked so serene 

then she started to cry 

then she burst out laughing 

then three sharp words in that warrior's tongue 

I'd learned them well 

through this night in hell 

"I'm not ashamed of my body 

I never said you hurt me 

with your faithless wit and your aimless guile 

and your [fall from] hands and your shame faced smile 

Everything you touch is gonna TURN TO DUST!" 

Not a stone will stand upon a stone 

Not a stone will stand upon a stone 

As I washed the blood off she laughed at me 

and asked whose reincarnation I might be 

I said, "I'm not your father 

or the-two legged beast who scarred you 

though I have done great wrongs of my own." 

They were long ago 

so how could you know? 

I never asked for your pity 

That's just as well if you ask me 

Then the lights went out 

and a rumble built to become a roar 

but she screamed, "It's you! 

Every day you wake is gonna end in hate!" 

Not a stone will stand upon a stone 

Not a stone will stand upon a stone 

I didn't know what to do 

How could I tell her the truth? 

I climbed up out of her hall 

and went to sleep on the roof 

When I woke up to the sun 

her brother brought me some food 

and we played cards until 'noon 

Five stories up from [...?] 

The pools of blood and the blasted rocks 

and the children screaming who will never stop 

and the blast of heat 

and the stench of gas 

and the lost dogs fighting over human scraps 

and she called to us from the street beneath 

"My footloose ways will be the death of me!" 

and she took the hand of a drunk militia captain 

Not a stone will stand upon a stone 

Not a stone will stand upon a stone 

As I washed the blood off she spat at me 

and said it's about time you died 

My outbound train gave a sickening lurch 

and I hung my head and cried 

For shame I sat and cried 

I could not help but cry