The Gate I Never Closed Behind Me

Lyrics

I left the garden gate ajar
The morning that I went away
The latch was stiff, the hinge was sore
And I had so little left to say
My mother stood among the beans
With soil upon her hands
She didn't wave, she didn't call
She understood, she understands

So I never closed the gate behind me
I left it open to the lane
In case the wind or the weather
Or I should find my way again
There's a place that you still keep for me
In the quiet of the grass
And I never closed the gate behind me
So the light could still pass

Years went by on other streets
In rooms with other views
I'd dream the hinge was creaking
And the roses wet with dew
She wrote me every springtime
About the frogs down by the pond
And she never said come home to me
She only said the gate is on

So I never closed the gate behind me
I left it open to the lane
In case the wind or the weather
Or I should find my way again
There's a place that you still keep for me
In the quiet of the grass
And I never closed the gate behind me
So the light could still pass

Now I'm walking up the path
Past the tulips and the stones
And the gate swings out to greet me
Like it knew I'd find my own
Way back to the kitchen window
To the kettle and the tea
To the woman in the doorway
Who is smiling back at me

So I never closed the gate behind me
I left it open to the lane
In case the wind or the weather
Or I should find my way again
There's a place that you still keep for me
In the quiet of the grass
And I never closed the gate behind me
And I'm home at last

And I'm home at last