Elena - Judy Collins, Ari Hest

Elena is working on Lorimer street

Directing the traffic in sweltering heat

She winds through the motions, a tape on repeat

She’s there until moonlight, making ends meet

Two kids in school

Another dropped out

All drawn to darkness

Futures in doubt

Mama’s heart beating on their whereabouts

How they’ll find water in the merciless drought

And she prays to you

And your boundless light

That one day you’ll come to make things right

Sprinkling skies of falling stars

Where she dreams of flying

Another day’s gone by

Quietly humming a spiritual song

The lilt of each melody keeping her strong

Where all dreams are possible, all doubt is gone

Where instead of darkness she sees only dawn

And she prays for you

Every waking night

To dance the breezes as a kite

The endless seas surround her now

And she drifts away

How she’d love to stay

Elena is working on Lorimer street

The pavement beneath her abusing her feet

She winds through the motions, a tape on repeat

She’s there until moonlight, making ends meet

She winds through the motions, a tape on repeat

She’s there until moonlight, making ends meet