Of A Friday Night
Anaïs Mitchell Lyrics

just across from the hospital
The old poet lived near the hospital

still in sight of the red lights
His place was in visible distance to the red lights

s couple blocks from the orthodox church
The poet's house was a few blocks away from the orthodox church

that's where the old poet lived
This stanza repeats that the old poet lived in that particular house

in his eyeglasses and his necktie
The poet described the old man's appearance at his window

at the windows looking down
The old man watched the young man passing by from his window

on the fullness of the town
The poet focused on the vividness of the city life through the old poet's point of view

full of them good time gamblers
The city was full of lively people, including good time gamblers

full of their restless wives
There were many unrestful women in the town

full of them midnight writers
Many writers would work late nights in this town

out in the quarter on a Friday night
On Friday nights, the lively quarters were full of people spending their time outside

out in the brightness of a Friday night
The poet emphasized the liveliness and brightness of Friday nights in the town

and the big horns blowed and the pianos played
The pianos and horns were being played, creating loud music

and the music rose to the old man's ears
The old man, still at his window, listened to the music rise from the town

I guess those were the olden days
The poet reminisced about the bygone era of the town's liveliness

I guess those were the golden years
The poet used hyperbole, comparing the olden days as the town's golden years

and now the town is empty
The poet indicates that the town is quiet now

empty as a mirror
The poet compared the continued lack of activity in the town to a mirror

empty as the harbor and the barber's chair
The harbor and the barber's chair are now both empty, just like the town

where did the old poet go?
The old poet is no longer around, and people don't know where he went

I asked around
The poet asked people if they knew where the old poet went

nobody knows
No one knew what happened to the old poet

maybe I came too early
The poet questions the timing of their arrival in the town

maybe I came too late
The poet further questions the timing of their arrival in the town

I'm waiting in the shadows of the scaffolds
The poet waits in the dark corners of the buildings

of the old cafés where you told me to wait
The poet reminisces about the times someone instructed them to wait in an old café

and I've got this lingering feeling
The poet speculates about an intuitive feeling they have about their situation

it's like I've slipped between
The poet compares their situation to something intangible and is using simile to do it

finger of the century
The poet uses a metaphor regarding the passing of time

I know you know what I mean
The poet is directly addressing someone, telling them they understand the feeling

I'll be a good time gambler
The poet decides they will be a lively, energetic person like others in the town

I'll be a restless wife
The poet will have restless energy like other women in town

I'll be a midnight writer
The poet will work on Friday nights like others in the town

call me good time gambler
The poet repeats that they want to be known as an active person like others in the town

call me a restless wife
The poet repeats that they will be known for their unrestful spirit

call me a midnight writer
The poet repeats that they will work late on Friday nights

out in the quarter on a Friday night
The poet repeats that they will work in the lively quarters on Friday nights

out in the brightness of a Friday night
The poet repeats that Friday nights are lively and energetic in their town

call me the brightness of a Friday night
The poet wants to be known as a symbol of a lively Friday night in town