Single by Brendan Bonsack



Fourteen thousand steps ago

I ran into a neighbour

Their hearing is on Wednesday

Their mother has the cancer



A chat bot told them

If you put a frog in boiling water

That it's better for the tadpoles

For the warm will grow them taller



They're copying the books

And then burning the books

And then they're

Selling us the ashes



Once upon a time, you know

I knew a story came

From the heart of an artist

(or ghost-written by their lover)



My neighbour tells me

They were up all night with GP Chatters

They think it might be sentient

It seems to know them better



Than anyone they've ever been

Or lain with altogether

I feel so old, a box under my bed

Stuffed full with letters



They're copying the books

And then burning the books

And then they're

Selling us the ashes



Monday, Tuesday disappear

My neighbour can't be found

Take the kittens and the passwords

They said, if things go down



Fourteen million steps ago

I'd have told a different story

But all previous instructions

Always can ignore me



They're copying the books

And then burning the books

And then I think they must be selling us

The ashes of our words

Dressed up as water, jump

Like frogs, it's just warm

Enough for swimming

For notes and lyrics, visit brendanbonsack.com/songs/selling-the-ashes


© Brendan Bonsack 2025