About emptiness

ABOUT EMPTINESS (E A D F G E)

About emptiness, I know you felt it. But in the kitchen you could not describe it.

And you just cried all afternoon. The windows sighed and swallowed you.

And they could hardly recall your reflection.

 

About emptiness, it eats your insides. But if you look around you’ll see it’s alright.

See the trees and their dead leaves. They are blowing down the street.

And they’ll be cold and bare for at least a few months. We’ll be cold and bare until spring comes.

 

We haven’t done wrong. So why do we feel bad? The morning is yawning through the clouds. It’s turning, it’s teaching. I have nothing to say.

 

About emptiness, it makes you wonder how unlikely it is that the sun comes back up. How unlikely it is we can even see it. How unlikely it is.

In your wake

IN YOUR WAKE (E A D G B E)

It’s why I’m here and you’re not. Forever left in your wake.

You just shattered like stars swimming in the sky. Hours from the nearest hospital.

 

What could have been and still could. If it were up to me it would all burn.
And we would start again with no one to tell us how or why we should not.

 

Did you not just notice the lights go out? Trees and seagulls battling the pig-nosed southerly. Cars crash on the street outside our house every day. It’s a wonder we get home safe.

It just rains

IT JUST RAINS (E A D G B E, capo 5)

It just rains. A single breath is all it takes.

When it’s gone we remember how much we missed it. We forgot how much we loved it.

I forgot how much I love you.

 

Branches shake. Powerlines fall and windows break.

On the street hardly anyone makes it out. Hardly anyone knows what’s wrong.

They didn’t know anything was wrong.

 

They forgot how much they need you. I forgot how much I missed you.

 

And then it rains.

Old path white clouds #10

 Old path white clouds #10 recorded Sunday 20 Feb 2022 by radarbackwards and Yev Kassem.

My own shoes

MY OWN SHOES (D G D F# F# D)

I put myself in my own shoes. Just like you told me to do. But where are you now?

You told me all that matters. But I don’t know if I’m as ill as you. It shouldn’t freak me out like it does.

I wonder what they’d say if I went with you. If they would raid my hard drive and tell the world I’m great.  

I wish I knew what to say

I WISH I KNEW WHAT TO SAY (D G D F# F# D, capo 3)

The day got away from us. Too thick to swim through.

Heavy. My legs burn. Is my face red? Yours is.

Quickly we run across the sand. Watching as the waves size us up. I wish I knew what to say.

 

The night crept up on us. How could I have known what to do?

 

It’s today now and it’s hot again. But it’s not the same. Nothing is.

I stayed up most of the night. Watching the full moon unfurl. A sliver of light crawling across our bed.

 

And now I know exactly what to say. But I’m afraid it’s a little too late. And you’re already up and gone to work.

I knew it

I KNEW IT (E A D F# B D#, capo 2)

And I want to tell you the truth.

But I don’t want you to be disappointed.

When the wind turns and we should go home.

The reckless are stiff as rocks.

It’s hard just to put into words what we’re trying to protect.

And we can’t expect anyone else to know what we mean.

 

Unwrapping under the sky, I felt it.

I held it.

I knew it.

I saw it just before it left.

From here

FROM HERE (E A D F# B D#, capo 2)

From here you begin. A whisper. A full moon.

The morning star so bright. A secret in your lap.

 

Would it be so bad to let go? To be soft?

Holding to a leaky boat or diving into the ocean? I don’t know.

 

And I want to tell you the truth.

Catching the end of it

CATCHING THE END OF IT (D G D F# B E, capo 4)

The blows harsh off the ocean. Gruff from a long and lonely night. Traversing that gaping black and blue.

I stand on the sand with my hands open wide. Only catching the end of it.

I don’t want to be sad anymore. I don’t want to be mad anymore. 

I don’t want to be bad. Like I was before.

Old path white clouds #9

Old path white clouds #9 recorded Sunday 13 Feb 2022 by radarbackwards and Yev Kassem.

Like sunlight

LIKE SUNLIGHT (E A D G B E)

Arriving like sunlight without a sound. Through cracks in the curtains, they spread their wings. Like a breath, warm and damp, on your neck. I forget, I remember, I know.

How I know

HOW I KNOW (E A D G B E)

It’s how I know I’m home. The lights stay on all night. And when I hear the horn I know that I’ll be fine.

And I’ll be alright because I’m here. That even in the dark, the ocean is near.

 

It’s how I know we’re safe. This place is within us. And when I reach to the sky it’s almost enough to touch.

And I want to fold it in my hands. I just hope I’m doing the best I can.

 

And I want to hold it to my chest. When it surges through the night like a wave about to break.

Take the things you know are yours. Hold them just the same as they do you.

 

It’s how I know it’s fine that I don’t really know. And I will try to take it as I go.

 

beat from my set at lass. no song from joey today

- mr radar

We're safe

WE’RE SAFE (D G D F# B E)

Love came and blew me over. Marching through the clouds, I wait. Standing, I hold it closer.

Love came and stole the glory. Rewriting every word. Reach out and feel the difference.

And the distance called they want their time back. Are you sure it’s not really that bad? Are you sure I’m not really that bad?

 

I knew I was bound to fall down because I was higher than I’d ever been. I was floating over rock and water.

And then the wind changed something nasty. And then the clouds rolled in so fierce. It got so dark I thought I’d disappeared.

And before I knew I was in the water. Up to my neck, I was sinking deeper. Don’t you think I would stay afloat if I could?

 

Hold your breath we’re both going under. Slowly slipping the under the waves. I can pretend but I can’t believe we’re safe.

Moana jones wong

MOANA JONES WONG (D G D F# B E, capo 4)

What would it take to make the best day of your life? What would you say if they all laughed at your reply?

How could you know and be so sure? It seems so strange.
All that I hope is I get better every day.

 

From the horizon the sky wraps around your head. Hanging so low, the clouds glow pink, orange and red.

I don’t wake up in the dark just turn on every light. I don’t wake up in the dark just to turn my back to the sunrise.

 

Moana Jones Wong just had the best day of her life. I didn’t do anything but so did I.

Zombie girl (adrianne lenker)

ZOMBIE GIRL (ADRIANNE LENKER)

Zombie Girl by Adrianne Lenker taken from her album Songs.

I’m going

I’M GOING (E A D G B E, capo 4)

 

I’m going. I don’t want to. Will you at least dream about me?

I’m leaving. It breaks my heart. Can you at least send me a sign?

I’m going. I’m locking the door. And I can only hope you’ll be in my dreams. 

Old path white clouds #8

Old path white clouds #8 recorded Sunday 20 Jan 2022 by radarbackwards and Yev Kassem.