One Good Thing

One good thing before you go
Pass it left

Friday dusk on Carver Street
Lawn chairs out and the kettle on
Dotty brought her pound cake, still warm
Deshawn brought the dominoes along
Kids drew hopscotch on the driveway
Old dog snoring by the rail
Mama tapped her spoon on the jam jar
"Name one good thing, then pass it on"

No speech, no score, no putting on
Say one true thing, then pass it on

One good thing (one good thing)
Say it true and pass it on
One good thing (pass it left)
Spoon on the jar, the kettle on

Round the steps until it's late
One good thing

Eleven-twenty, headlights swung
Nina came in wearing scrubs
Mama kept her plate in foil
Deshawn dealt her into the run
Single dad from number nine
Finished homework on the stairs
Nobody asked why they were late
We made the circle meet them there

One good thing (one good thing)
Say it true and pass it on
One good thing (pass it left)
Spoon on the jar, the kettle on

Round the steps until it's late
One good thing

Six summers on, the steps got painted
Mama's spoon is worn and bent
Kids got tall, Deshawn went silver
Nina brings the new nurses in
Every Friday somebody new
Starts out quiet by the rail
By the time that spoon taps twice
They've got one good thing to tell

First night started in a blackout
July bill three months late
Neighbors ran an orange cord
From their garage through our gate
Mama lined the steps with candles
Said, "Name one thing before we quit"
We didn't have the power on
We had the whole block lit

One good thing (one good thing)
Say it true and pass it on
One good thing (pass it left)
Spoon on the jar, the kettle on

Leave one thing true before you go
One good thing

We had the whole block lit
Pass it on