There's a stillness in the trees

THERE’S A STILLNESS IN THE TREES (E A D G A# D#)

Open; show me your face. Stillness falling like rain.

Yellow, I don’t see you. You said I won’t need you.

There’s a stillness in the trees. Just before the wind turns.

A glowing in the leaves. Listen and you’ll learn.

 

Hold me, pouring, empty. Still here, still thought you might.

Yellow, I can’t help you. I don’t know where to turn.

There’s a stillness in the trees. Echoes through the morning.

Only came so we could leave. Tell me where you’ll go.

 

A flower opens as a raincloud appears.

An eagle spreads its wings as the sun goes down.

 

There’s a stillness in the trees. A sunset in the backyard.

Find your way to me. You’ll never be too far.

There’s a stillness in the trees.

Trying

TRYING (E A D G B E)

I am trying so hard. I have a headache.

But I’m not sure if I am doing the right thing.

I am trying so hard. My neck hurts.

If it gets worse I could always turn back.

But I don’t want to do that.

Flicking on

FLICKING ON (E A D G B E)

Milky blue. Early morning. Watch my breath. Like a chimney. Like a train.

Nothing worse. Hardly noticed. Searing light through the window. Flicking on and off and on.

And the day began. We hardly felt a thing.

Stretching

STRETCHING (E A D G A D)

A wind blew, the break of day. I wondered: How will I know?

A laughing on the powerlines. A stretching, pulling like the sea.

Bouncing off the roofs of cars. I waited for the street to still.

Clinging to branches strong enough. While pools of leaves swirled at my feet.

 

Your face in the sun. I can only do my best.

 

A gliding through the bluest sky. An emptiness, not a secret.

The ocean doesn’t overflow.

 

The cracks are wide, the holes are bare.

The trees are cold. Their branches – bare.

The beaches – bare. The streets are bare.

You are bare.

And the day began

AND THE DAY BEGAN (D A D G B E, capo 3)

And the day began, unlike any other. Though we hardly noticed at first.

But as the day wore on, colours got brighter and sounds rang sharper and our hearts began to open like pores in a hot shower.

 

And the differences we were grateful for. While everything that stayed the same propelled us.

We didn’t need anyone to tell us or help us or stop us.

 

And the day never ended but we went to sleep.

And eventually a new one began.

If I melt away

IF I MELT AWAY (D A D G B E)

If I melt away we can stay here. We won’t be lost if we disappear.

I let go of myself, it felt like ecstasy. I forgot what I thought I was and found you next to me.

 

If I stood on a rope, of course I would fall. But I wouldn’t get hurt if the rope was never there at all.

But some days will be high, some days will be low. Just look out at the ocean. There’s nothing wrong with us, you know.

 

The biggest mistake we could ever make is being scared of making a mistake.

If we melt away we can love ourselves and give it all to everybody else.

Like any leaf

LIKE ANY LEAF (E A D G B E)

Like any leaf in every tree. Brown and green. Shimmering.

A cool breeze. A warm afternoon.

 

Like any bee in any hive. A family. A drone strike.

An abhorrent crime. A tear in your eye.

 

Everyone looks down. They don’t want to be seen crying now.

And if you see all directions how will you know which one to take?

 

Like any street in every town. Open the windows. Take the bins out.

Cooking dinner now. Watch the sun go down.

 

Birds come to your door. You don’t have to sing alone anymore.

You see a path and you know for sure.

 

Like any smile on every face. In every street. In every house.

In everything that you care about.

 

Like any leaf in every tree. Brown and green.

Shimmering.

I think you just willed the rain away

I THINK YOU JUST WILLED THE RAIN AWAY (E A D G B E)

Did I just see what I think I saw? There was a big black cloud coming for us all. Now it’s slinking over the back fence like a petty thief caught in the backyard. And I was sure we would be soaked.

But I think you just (I think you just) willed the rain away.

 

Did anyone ever tell you that when you lose something you can’t get it back? So, hold onto what’s important and let everything else be exported. Like a wave that breaks and returns to see.

And I think you just (I think you just) swam away from me.

I think you just swam away from me.

 

But I think you’re headed towards an island. And you’re the only one who can find it. And you might not know what it looks like but you’ll know as soon as you arrive.

And I think you just (I think you just) found yourself at home.

I think you just found yourself at home.

I think you just (I think you just) found yourself at home.

If I know I'll be fine

IF I KNOW I’LL BE FINE (E A D G B E, capo 1)

If I know I’ll be fine then I know you’ll be fine, too. Are you stressed for me?

Because I would be if there was anything to be stressed about.

If you lost something you could not get back. If it swallowed you.

 

If I have the time then you have the time, too. Let’s go for a ride.

Because I don’t mind where we find ourselves as long as we find ourselves.

If you felt something then I know it’s there. Hold it like a ball, take it everywhere.

If I know I’ll be fine then I know you’ll be fine, too.

A lonely room

A LONELY ROOM (D A D F# B E)

Love is dark.

A blood orange moon.

Shimmering on the water.

Stars are fierce and stubborn.

Naked in the emptiness of night.

 

And your heart is a room with windows and a door.

But a room is a lonely room when everything is locked.

 

Love is closer than you think. Like sunlight on a sleepless night.

Holding hands with yourself means no one will ever be left out.

 

But your heart is a place that no one can reach.

Like perfect waves on a desolate beach.

 

You just want to know where it ends. But nothing ever really does. You are turning are away from yourself.

 

Love is dark, a blood orange moon.

Love is here and so are you.