Bird with broken wings

I pointed to the map and said pick a place
Just when I thought there would be no reply
A western wind came howling in my face
And I was flying

"Oh don't you take it slow
I've been blowing down this road
And I've been searching high and low
I've been searching high and low"

So then and there I tried to plead my case
And like a bird with broken wings I tried to fly
A western wind has moved me from this place
And now I'm fine
She pushed me as if saying
"Come this way!
Hurry now, you're wasting too much time
And you will never get to heaven at this pace!"
Oh and she was right

"Oh don't you take it slow
I've been blowing down this road
And I've been searching high and low
I've been searching high and low"

Cuz I'm not singing like a song bird in the morning when I wake
I'm not swimming like a catfish at the bottom of a lake
Instead I'm dying from this day job and It's too much for me to take

Earth gently rolls

The body of water that swallowed me whole
The wave that came rolling and swept me from shore
The feeling of floating forevermore
I pick my brain apart until it's sore
I keep myself in tune with love and war
I try to choose between truth and lore

To try and strike a chord that rings
And it rakes my mind and stirs up all these things
And the dust flies into the air like it has wings
I awake to find that I'm feeling as clean as spring

The lengthening shadow that's tied to my soles
The grey on the ground that grows and grows
The feeling of peace while the earth gently rolls
Most thoughts in my brain i've never told
I can't help my frozen heart from being cold
The weather is getting warm but I'm feeling old

To try and see the truth that you claim you found
Well I want a piece and I'll dig deep into the ground
And I'll stay inspired as I get further and further down
and I won't grow tired if this planet keeps spinning 'round

I feel like somethings missing and i've gotta use my arms and legs
To try and make a different life
To try and find a different faith
'Cuz I've been frozen in position and I think it's time I've gotta go
Away from the same day different clothes
The same day just different clothes
And maybe I'll miss it but more likely I won't
I'll pack up and leave my home

How it got started


I want to take photographs of things that are real
But science does not come to my aid
It brings forth these questions and theories I feel
It opposes and challenges my faith
Like why does the grass grow?
The leaves turn and fall?
The moon that draws back all those waves?
And how'd it get started? We couldn't recall
That's knowledge too great to be retained

She told me that she never liked my opinions
Call them askew and a waste of her time
Instead of writing each song with some meaning
All you do is lie boy, you lie boy you lie
So what if I've got my convictions
When the day is done I can say i tried
Because I can't stop the world from spinning
But what I can do is take her out of my life

I must choose wisely the next note that I play
It determines the rest of the strain
The rhythm, the arrangement and melodies made
It's the only thing keeping me sane
That's why I absorb myself deep in each song
In hopes that it whisks me away
But the parts never last long enough and the chords growing faint
And eventually the band leaves the stage

She told me that she never loved me for my music
Called it abrasive and tasteless and trite
Instead of singing each song with some feeling
All you do it whine boy, you whine, boy you whine
Watch me as I won't accept her position
Turned calloused and biased over night (over time)
I tip my head to the side just grinning
Singing darling I never loved you for your mind

I must act quickly before it's too late
Time is neither your friend nor mine
It's been tracking me closely every move that I make
Waiting to strike!

Just as well


Crime, it only comes in waves
I keep one side in distress, the other side of me saved
Times, why do they always change?
I keep one foot in the grass, the other foot in the grave
the other foot in the grave

So take what you want and more
As I'm giving myself away
I don't care what you use it for
It's of no use to me, of no use to me
For so long I've been forlorn
And I guess it's just as well
My body and mind are worn
Send me right back down
Back down to hell

Rhythms in almost every phrase
One line leads to the next until i choose to refrain
My mind, why does it always change?
I keep one side of it stressed, the other side of it sane
The other side of it sane

Mountains


God damn these roots and how they plunge
Into this hard packed northern ground
Beneath the frost line lies my love
Where it is firmly held in place for now
We've had miles of mountains
Surrounding us all the way
And now those same old mountains
Do nothing but separate

Can I plant myself here
Right beside you
I can't take my place
Amongst these trees
I'm sick of waiting for the wind to blow you back to me

God damn that breeze that caught your wings
The one that pulled you toward the sea
The bird that left here no longer sings
Well at least no not for me
I couldn't stay grounded so I uprooted and walked away
Through the miles of mountains
I pushed through to you just to say

Outdoor sounds


Outside in the rain
Amongst those outdoor sounds
I know you feel no pain
Underneath that ground
I feel my body wane
As my head lays down
Upon your hard packed grave
I lie here with you now
everyday

Well I set myself some boundaries
That went no further than the foot of my bed
And for the first few months I laid there
Trying to disconnect my head
It was this helplessness I'm feeling
It was the stiffness of regret
If you could see just what I was doing
You'd know I'd forgotten what you said

"You'll tear yourself apart with hate, love
Trying to keep it all inside
Instead of dwelling on my fate, love
Learn to celebrate my life
Keep pushing forward every way, love
Taking every day in stride
Taking every day in stride"

Resting place

"I think it's time we turn and face the music
I think it's time we went our separate ways
But first we'll ride (one last time) across the country
Just to find our final resting place"

"I think it's time we stepped down from the gallows
I think you were wrong when you lead us both astray
And we should stay on the path straight and narrow
I always thought we were better off this way"

"If you want me then fight for me baby
Don't let it come apart at the seams
And though we lie in different beds, in different places
In our minds we were dreaming the same dreams"

Don't give me those
Well known weary eyes
Coming around time after time
Don't give me those
Same old tired lines
I've heard before night after night

"I think it's time I came in from the weather
I think it's time I gained some new repose
Just let me lie here now and don't you bother
Just let me lie here now and let it go"

Stay ( a little longer )


It looks like we've worn this down
Trampled and tattered and tossed around
It looks like we've dragged this out
as far as the eye can see now
It seems like I've sold my soul
For a sure shot at love or so I was told
Remorse for the days that came
Days that I can't regain

I'll stay a little longer if it takes more time
To work on all the problems that you've had in mind
So lift those shoes that drag so slow
Or save me the trouble if you're just gonna go
And find yourself a place in another time
Where things feel so much different
And I hope you're right
As for myself, I just don't know
I'll fade into the background, I'm laying low

Oh oh, hey hey, we've gotta find ourselves someway
Oh oh, hey hey, we've gotta find ourselves someway
Oh oh, hey hey, we've gotta keep ourselves someway

The artist


I found an artist beneath my skin
He buried himself deep within me
And he's playing a tune with a soft melody
He's playing a tune so soft

I found an artist beneath me skin
He writhes to the rhythm that plays within me
And he bangs on my heart like it's a loud tympani
He bangs on my heart real loud
And I like the way he sings like each song
Is the last he'll ever sing to the world
So he best deliver
And he's walking around with a soul on fire
He's walking bearing his soul

Sometimes I wish he's just leave
Just leave
And give me a moment to breathe

Year after year


I try and find a key so I can sing or say
A little of my peace in a subtle way
This guitar I can barely play
Yet I still strum along
And I yearn to hear your thoughts
Maybe a little praise
At first that's what I got
But it never seems to stay
And for a time I kept it caged just to let it go

I thought I'd come such a long way
I thought I'd broken some brand new ground
But still I live with the same fate
Again and again, year after year
And I'd be pleased with just your company
Stuck to the walls in here just hanging around
Until we feel there's nothing more to see
We'll get the hell out of here

I knew that all the while you tried to stay the same
Same hair, same scent, same smile
And when it came time, you loved the change
And you embraced it so
For now we'll drive this lathe and with an honest try
We'll go against the grain
And I think we'll find it's best that you and I have changed
And we'll just let it show
Oh god we'll let 'em know