Dar Williams - This Was Pompeii Lyrics

I am thinking of the woman in a century of peace
On a bright mosaic, she is washing on her knees
And she looks up at the black sky, beyond the mountain tall
She says, "Oh good, the rain is finally going to fall."
Today, this was Pompeii

And everyone has memories from the night that melted stone
The neighbor's nightgown, the screaming on the phone
And the tired man at the station says
"We can't tell who's alive.
All we ever know is that the tourists survived."
Tra la, tra la, let's go, they say, let's go, Pompeii

And I think about Pompeii when I feel an end is near
Just before the rain and every time you disappear.
And I think about a teacup, suspended and half served
All the scholars know is that it's perfectly preserved
Oh, that's all, they say, this was Pompeii

And as for my own kingdom, not a table leg was charred
I simply lost my kingdom 'cause I held it much too hard
And once I had a sadness, the sadness turned to trust
The trust turned into ashes, and to lawyers, and to dust
A century, a day, this was Pompeii
This was Pompeii