The Chair Above the Ravine

[Кіріспе] [Куплет 1] The drive motor coughs above the gorge Red lamp blinking through the sleet One chair hangs where the crosswind turns A kid grips both knees to the seat I clip the line to the tower rail Call down, “look at me, not below” The diesel coughs, then dies again And the whole cable starts to groan [Қайырма] Hold on, i’m coming down to you One rope, one knot, one step at a time Don’t look where the ravine cuts through Keep your hands inside the line When the wind shoves hard, lean into me When i say go, you let it slide I’ve got you here; i’ve got you here We’re getting off this mountain alive [Куплет 2] I feed the rope through the brake by hand Boots braced against the tower rung You say your sister’s waiting below I say, “tell her you’re coming down” A gust swings the chair toward the pines I lock the line and count to four The backup engine turns one inch Then quits against the frozen roar [Қайырма] Hold on, i’m coming down to you One rope, one knot, one step at a time Don’t look where the ravine cuts through Keep your hands inside the line When the wind shoves hard, lean into me When i say go, you let it slide I’ve got you here; i’ve got you here We’re getting off this mountain alive [Guitar solo] [Көпір] Your mitten finds the rope My glove closes over yours Down the ladder, slow and sure No one gets left up here [Қайырма] Hold on, i’m coming down to you One rope, one knot, one step at a time Don’t look where the ravine cuts through Keep your hands inside the line When the wind shoves hard, lean into me When i say go, you let it slide I’ve got you here; i’ve got you here We’re getting off this mountain alive