Track 4 of the EP Forgive Me in the April Light · 2020
A Ribbon for Coming Second-Best
“The blue ribbon went to someone else and I stood proud anyway. A gentle song about coming second.”
art song · art song · chamber song · 3:58
Lyrics
The blue one went to someone else, the red one came to me I stood among the winners in my borrowed shoes My hands were shaking slightly and my heart was beating free And I found I wasn't sorry, though I'd braced myself to lose Second is a doorway Not a wall A ribbon for coming second-best Is a gentle kind of gold It says you went and tried it And you did not fold I pin it to my collar like a quiet little star A ribbon for coming second-best Shows me who I are My mother kept the programme and my sister kept the date My teacher shook my hand and said she knew that I would shine There was always someone faster, there was always someone straight But I sang the song as mine Second is a doorway Not a wall A ribbon for coming second-best Is a gentle kind of gold It says you went and tried it And you did not fold I pin it to my collar like a quiet little star A ribbon for coming second-best Shows me how far Oh, I used to count the places Now I count the steps I took The nerves, the dawn rehearsals Every lesson in the book A ribbon for coming second-best Is a gentle kind of gold I carry it so lightly now And I am growing bold I pin it to my collar and I'm walking into spring A ribbon for coming second-best Is a very lovely thing Second-best, second-best A gentle kind of gold