We climb the horse with careful hands
Its painted neck beneath our rings
The pole is cold, the saddle laughs
The music counts our borrowed sins
We know the gold is only skin
We see the timber under shine
Still something loose inside our ribs
Keeps time with every circling line
Gilt and gone
Gilt and gone
We know the gold won’t last till dawn
Gilt and gone
Gilt and gone
But the spin remembers after the song
Gilt and gone
Gilt and gone
We ride the fake and feel the whole
Gilt and gone
Gilt and gone
The wooden horse has found our pulse
The horse goes nowhere beautifully
Its hooves nailed into air
We laugh like thieves on painted beasts
Ashamed of wanting fair
The gilt dust flakes beneath our palms
The old shame loosens in the spin
What looks like paint from far away
Is warmth beneath the skin
Gilt and gone
Gilt and gone
We know the gold won’t last till dawn
Gilt and gone
Gilt and gone
But the spin remembers after the song
Gilt and gone
Gilt and gone
We ride the fake and feel the whole
Gilt and gone
Gilt and gone
The wooden horse has found our pulse
Round
Gold
Guilt
Soft
Round
Hold
Spin
Off
We do not ask the horse for distance
We do not ask the gold to stay
A false thing moved us honestly
And something tight was torn away
Gilt and gone
Gilt and gone
We know the gold won’t last till dawn
Gilt and gone
Gilt and gone
But the spin remembers after the song
Gilt and gone
Gilt and gone
We ride the fake and feel the whole
Gilt and gone
Gilt and gone
The wooden horse has found our pulse
The ride slows down
The gold comes loose
We step off laughing
Still turning through