Tom's Building a Trampoline

Lyrics

[Verse 1] Tom spread the frame across the lawn The picture showed a spring by spring He sorted bolts from washers twice Then lost the page that showed the thing The metal legs leaned left and right A half-built moon against the fence He said, “I’ve got this, give me ten” At twenty, he was less convinced [Pre-Chorus] One pole up, two poles down A bag of parts went rolling ’round His neighbor called, “You need a hand?” Tom waved him off and made a plan [Chorus] Tom’s building a trampoline With one shoe on and a stubborn grin He pulls that spring, it slips away The whole frame wobbles like it’s ready to sway Tom’s building a trampoline He’s got the yard and the afternoon When that black mat finally fits just right He’ll bounce so high he’ll laugh all night [Verse 2] The manual had a missing step Or maybe Tom had skipped ahead He found a wrench beneath the hedge And one small spring beside the shed The neighbor’s kid held up a corner Tom counted holes and checked the ring They worked their way around the circle Till every hook was in its wing [Pre-Chorus] One pole up, all poles down The frame stood steady on the ground Tom wiped his brow and checked the sheet Then gave the mat a careful beat [Chorus] Tom’s building a trampoline With one shoe on and a stubborn grin He pulls that spring, it slips away The whole frame wobbles like it’s ready to sway Tom’s building a trampoline He’s got the yard and the afternoon When that black mat finally fits just right He’ll bounce so high he’ll laugh all night [Bridge] The last spring fought him tooth and nail He braced one foot and held the rail The hook clicked in, the circle held Tom stood back like he’d cast a spell “Safety net,” his neighbor said Tom nodded, reading every line Then climbed aboard with careful steps And took one bounce—then nine, then five [Final Chorus] Tom built his trampoline One shoe on and a victorious grin The springs all held, the frame stayed straight He bounced right through the evening late Tom built his trampoline His whole block cheered from the garden gate He rose above the apple tree And yelled, “Next time, you’re building it with me!” [Outro] Tom’s building a trampoline Now everybody wants to leap