Cipher in the Snow*

I wrote this song when I was in a dark moment upon reflection on the suicide of an adolescent girl I had known.

nine point four grams of powder 
three fifty seven shell
against human neural tissue
blew it all to hell
now she’s a statistic
a number on the wall
some how she could not stand again
could not get past her fall
no one was there for her
a cipher in the snow
no one cared when she came in
no one saw her go

jesus jesus loves me
jesus loves me this i know
jesus do not let me be
a cipher in the snow

seven point one grams of lead
a pistol in her hand
against a fragile human life
she lacked the power to stand
now she’s asleep in jesus
she could have given much
another priceless life lost
to the human touch
no one again will hold her
or listen when she cries
you’ve forever lost your chance
when something precious dies

jesus jesus loves me
jesus loves me this i know
jesus do not let me be
a cipher in the snow

fifty-four and on my own
my family’s lost to me
my friends have all turned away
i’ve got no place to be
then her memory comes around
and i hear her say
you have got to fight the pain
there’s just no other way
i will live inside your heart
so hold me ever close
don’t give up and you won’t be
a cipher in the snow

jesus jesus loves me
jesus loves me this i know
jesus do not let me be
a cipher in the snow
jesus jesus loves me
jesus loves me this i know
jesus do not let me be
a cipher in the snow
jesus do not let me be
a cipher in the snow

©Stan Sanford, 12/23/96
*"Cipher in the Snow" is a short story written by Jean Mizer about the death of an ostracized teenager.