[Verse 1]
I had my hopes of how I would be
After living in exile
After closing your eyes to me
I even wrote scenes where I reemerged boldly
Bearded, alive, with Eskimo-eyes
New baby on my back

[Chorus 1]
But I didn't count the fact that I have ghosts in my mind
Stowaway, great ghosts of my life
Great ghosts of old wives
And they're howling!

[Post-Chorus 1]
So I spent my wilderness time rolling on the ground
Pulling my hair, and wrestling them off
Yelling at no one, punching snow

[Verse 2]
I gathered ghosts and I gave them my lecture
Bid them away, I pleaded and cried:
"There's no room in my life for you, or your howling!"
Let me undo these ropes and go on living without you
Not just change where I live
"Go on, get," I said
[Chorus 2]
I had my hopes of how I would be, after sending them off
After getting set free
But there's no such thing as living without their prowling
As you can see, having descended the hill
I still look like me, I still wallow like Phil
And forever will

[Outro]
I'm teaming with ghosts and I'm still whining for wives
I'm knitting my brow
But now I've surrendered
In fact, I've joined in
You can hear us howling!