I've got a pocketful of ashes
and I'm spreading them around
ain't nobody going to tell me otherwise
there's a soldier on the hilltop
and a hollow lonely sound
of all the wasted souls and empty eyes
'cause I made you a promise
and I'm doing as I say
ain't no use to make it any other way
there's a pocketful of ashes
laying on the ground

wrote a bunch of words
as they came into my head
mostly random mumblings and bumbletruck
way too late to ever know
if they heard what I said
still, a couple of them left me humblestruck
'cause I made you a promise
to see that stone turned 'round
colored every shade of pink and golden brown
there's a pocketful of ashes
laying on the ground

I've got a pocketful of ashes
and I'm spreading them around
ain't nobody going to tell me otherwise
I wouldn't want the memory
to be that I let you down
and be one of them souls with wasted lives
'cause I made you a promise
to see that stone turned 'round
while the waiting angels made a Holy sound
there's a pocketful of ashes
laying on the ground