[Intro] [Recognizable low guitar riff; dissonant fiddle answers] [Verse 1] The face upon the screen Had learned to smile like me It lifted one side of its mouth Then waited patiently I blamed the line for breaking I blamed my tired eyes But something in that little pause Would not be explained [Chorus] A moment late, a moment late That smile came a moment late In the valley deep and narrow Where the almost-human go A moment late, a moment late And the eyes already know [Verse 2] It watched me through the evening While the rain tapped at the pane I heard the old house settle I heard the furnace strain Then it looked beyond my shoulder At the window’s darkened glass And I felt the room grow colder Though the fire held fast [Chorus] A moment late, a moment late That smile came a moment late In the valley deep and narrow Where the almost-human go A moment late, a moment late And the eyes already know [Bridge] [Drums fall away; lone guitar and dry rattle] I turned to see the window I turned to see the night My reflection stood behind me In the screen’s blue light [Final Chorus] [Full band returns; faint harmony on the final two lines] A moment late, a moment late That smile came a moment late In the valley deep and narrow Where the almost-human go I shut the screen, but in the window My own face watched me go [Outro] [Two slow guitar hits; held final chord, then stop] My own face watched me go [Bridge] [Drums fall away; lone guitar and dry rattle] I turned to see the window I turned to see the night My reflection stood behind me In the screen’s blue light [Final Chorus] [Full band returns; faint harmony on the final two lines] A moment late, a moment late That smile came a moment late In the valley deep and narrow Where the almost-human go I shut the screen, but in the window My own face watched me go [Outro] [Two slow guitar hits; held final chord, then stop] My own face watched me go
