Normal

Are you sure this ice is worth breaking
For all the pain its capable of creating
My words are calm and low
There were things I wanted you to know
And in his shadow I grow tired of it all

A normal life was forfeit long ago
We feel it more the older we grow
And sometimes, sometimes I see you
Dancing in the snow

My doll, no, more than this
My partner through life's every fit
But how can it be
When we live life so separate

Can I be the trouble you're in?
May I be the reason you grin?
I know the symbolism is fake
But can I just pretend
To be the well dressed groom
Upon your cake?

Slowly Burn

I held September in such regard
Until I spent the afternoon walking today
And I saw all the people finely dressed
Putting flowers in her yard
In preparation for her wedding day

So I buried my face in my old jacket
And I turned and walked away
Hoping to go unnoticed as a cloud
Then singing behind me and I heard my name
And I told myself to smile through my pain

She said its good to see you on this lovely day
Won't you come and join us in the sun
I politely refused and pulled an excuse
As I saw him headed my way
Because his out stretched hand I so wanted to refuse

This is all too much for me I must admit
And I began to slowly turn away
That's when I felt the Angel softly touch my hardened cheek
She said oh dear friend why must you act this way
I struggled for the courage to speak

I am not sure what it is you think of me
But to love I am no amateur
So when you share your vows with him know this
That those words spoken by your own two lips
Are to me a lovers curse

So common with the leaves of this season
I too will slowly burn
So common with the leaves of this season
I too will slowly burn

I Want It All Back

I remember skipping stones
And how that was our retreat
Or when we needed to travel
We were proud of the dust on our feet
And with a Levi blanket
The stars watched as we'd sleep

All the answers were simple
Our minds were clear
And now, it seems
There is a world between me and you
My dear

We would count smiling faces
And count their paces
As they all staggered
From beer to beer

Our nights were forever
And morning was just a word
We were young and clever
Worry was something not heard

Now I remember you had your blue dress on
And pretending we were royalty for just this once
Singing songs on my guitar from the front lawn
Give me one reason this night cant go on and on


Now I want it all back

02/14/97

I can't remember anything before this night
All of us singing and dancing
Makeing you smile
Bathing in your light

It has never been so clear
Never shown this bright
Never felt as exciting
Never have you felt so dear

You know we are the envy of all
With thier sidways glances
And thier hushed tones
They watch as in love we fall

Maybe its our youth
Or could it be time
Whatever the cause
This night I'll make you mine

I know its February
And I know its silly
But if I don't work up the nerve
You could walk away easy

I don't know how to say this
So I just will
I love you
And with one golden word
Will you, this wish fulfill

I know its February
And I know its silly
But if I don't work up the nerve
You could walk away easy

Heart Beat

Whatever made me glow
Its gone now
But I pretend I'm feeling it still
You know its getting very hard
To go on now
But I pretend I want to

You know it wasn't really me?
You know I wasn't really there?
I would have thought more carefully
I would have turned it all away

You know I wouldn't really care
But someone looking just like me
Just turned around and you were there

Your finger prints are on my wall
Why must you go now?
"Cus I got nothing more to say"
Except I didn't want to fall
So be still now
As I'm walking slowly away

Your finger prints are all over my world
I see your jacket in the street
What if they hear my heart beat?
Because you've been seen with another man
And hes in everyone you see
And I can hear your heart beat

Seamless Soul Sound

This fairytale you've became
Your magic and life weave this maize
Through blurred eyes is all that I know
I am stolen, rigid as white oak

That blue dress makes your skin look porcelain
Its the one I love to see you in
Oh make tonight more than the sister of day
Lets make it a place where perfect we'll stay

I must confess I feel lost in your step
But every moment for me is a moment kept
And all the butterflies I cannot conceal
You are my youth; this magic I feel

Will you not belong to me?
I do not pretend to know what our future brings
All I know is here, and now
You are the music in a seamless soul sound

Empty Rooms

The slowest night
The slowest dance
You swayed across the room
As in a dream
An empty house
With empty rooms
I loved you so

And now you're going
Go, and leave if you must know
And go- I never wanted you to know
Go

Moon Face

The bells rang out
That cold morning of doubt
Then I understood what I craved
It has always been your beautiful moon face

You were someone unknown
Moved here from your home
And it was all I could do not to stare
And imagine my future with you somewhere

So here we are
Ten days apart
And there is nothing for it
But I won't quit until I get it

Your words were calm
Spoken at the break of dawn
With all our needs broken
Still I have your words spoken

Your image could be clearer
Our spirits wanting to avoid danger
And I thought ten days wouldn't hurt a lot
I guess not

Don't give it up
Its for us to bite the lip and shut up
To grab hold and wait
For this life that we anticipate

Thin As Smoke

What will she do when it all comes undone?
What secrets has she shared with the Arizona sun?
The one who has her in this spell
Never paid the cost once she fell

Now she lives like a hermit in her head
And every emotion she wishes it dead
She had a love unlike any other
But when night comes she stirs alone under the covers

Do you feel you'll ever get it
Do you ever feel like its not worth it
Do you ever feel anything anymore...

So now when she's at work she'll joke
And pretend that her life isn't as thin as smoke
And her radio is the only thing that understands her
If only it could make everything all better

All the strange faces she can't stand
If only one would grab her and make him her man
She is done dreaming of it
And wants the man with whom she can grow old with

Now all she sees are dark grey clouds
In the distance growing closer with every hour
She asks God "what went wrong?"
Not caring she turns her back and moves on

Do you feel you'll ever get it
Do you ever feel like its not worth it
Do you ever feel anything anymore...

All Over You

Your stories are all over you
And in the morning I'll call you
Can you not find the simple clue
With your eyes painted all so natural blue

And some day my pain will rock you
So harness your blame and rock thru
Solace was my gain when I sought you
So in the morning I'll call you

Oh what might have been lost
So don't bother me please
Please don't bother me

Fathom

I cannot fathom
The resistance given
Once these words are spoken
And I cannot picture
The emotion given
Emotion you've shared with him

If only you could see me
I feel completely incomplete
I become undone
And hide within the drugs

You're so blind
You can't save me this time
Oh this comes from deep inside
I feel so powerless tonight

I wish you could see
This stranger they call Robbie
Oh look what you've done to me
You have always had perfect timing

Does he call you "Love"
Does he know what you call home
I would give my hands
To feel your love, to be your man

Just keep my heart where the sun still glows
Keep my memory clean as snow
Hold your head high
As you enter the clubs at night
Maybe no one will ever know

What have you done to me
Look how you've killed everything you mean to me

Falling

I am not sure what she said
I loved how her silky words flowed
How her face filled the corners of my head
And I am sure my English she didn't know

We walked the hot market streets
Simply smiling and falling
In love with the simple gestures of meaning
It is love when our eyes meet

With a simple touch
I let her know
I was falling quick
And in that second I tasted her kiss

The day began to fade
Under that bruised setting sun
She walked to the bus
And she left me where it all had begun

Though I returned
To that dirty market street
I failed to see; I failed to meet
The girl I couldn't understand
I hope she knows just how much she meant to me

Off London Road

I became lost in your eyes from across the Pub
This Yank looking for a conversation to start up
With my courage used up I turned to go
Silently wandering the snow in Glasgow

The sound of your keys stopped me
Under the street light you looked so lovely
My foreign mind stumbled over the words
"Names are worthless; can I spend my time with yours?"

All I have left of that night
Are silent clips of your smile in my mind
I stole a kiss near Glasgow Green
Then decided to tell you I was leaving

Off London Road you gave me your name
And I said it aloud to myself again and again
"I shall always hate the Atlantic now"
All I could manage was"I know"

So I boarded my plane
With this picture of us and her name
I thought of us on your sofa
"I need you so much closer"

The clouds opened up
And now I am home
Thinking of what happened off London Road
And a whisper softly spoken by her
"I need you so much closer"

Jenny Lake

I called late
You were with him
"We can't talk about it now."
So one last word, then I'll go
Can we pretend it was something so much more?

I spent two weeks at Jenny Lake
With the summer sun pouring down my face
You were the girl that meant the world to me
She was beautiful
And she meant the world to me

So one last kiss before you go
Before his car door shuts behind the world I know
This was, to me, more than words
Your light brown hair against my lips
Its all over now and I'd better get used to it

A summer love
She was so beautiful
But I didn't mean a thing to her

Lightness

There's a tear in the fabric of your favorite dress
And i'm sneaking glances.
Looking for the patterns in static
They start to make sense the longer i'm at it.

Your heart is a river that flows from your chest
Through every organ
Your brain is the dam
And i am the fish who can't reach the cord.

Oh, instincts are misleading
You shouldn't think what you're feeling
They don't tell you what you know you should want.

GTNP

Do you remember the GTNP?
And feeling alone in this human sea?
I don't know about you
But I swear on my name
That I was drowning

We would brave those mountain passes
Avoiding seductive glances
Hiding how our bodies quaked

I love your light eyes
And all their flirtations
Then you said all you would say
When you said goodbye

Oh I swore it there
In the midst of frost and mountain air
You gave at last
"Were far too young; you take it too fast"

Do you remember the GTNP?
And feeling alone in this human sea?
I don't know about you
But I swear on my name
That I am drowning

Only Take Once

Damn, you are a drug
One that can't be taken once
One that can only be seen
One that hooked me

Now these cold wakes
Make me a player in your game
To take it slow
Is to all but let go
I've given into my fate

I seek in vain
Feeling my pulse begin to strain
Your glance eases the pain
I am yours

I wake to the thought of you
The image tares me in two
I'm on fire
Addicted, seeking your higher

Now these cold wakes
Make me a player in your game
To take it slow
Is to all but let go
I've given into my fate

The Smallest Kiss

If your memories were paper
I would have worn them out by now
Running through my mind
You twirling in that gown

If you smile were a passing cloud
It would would rain liquid sun
And I would love it
I would dance in the mud

Its a curious thing how we felt
How we both carry the stars
On our hands rests Orion's belt
And nothing makes sense without the two of us

I know how you feel
Crash down this furry red
Crash down your heart and head

The smallest kiss left this story
The smallest kiss
And now we stand without a story
We stand with no glory

I can see how this story fell
I can see it all now
Fate, we can hide
And time can stand aside

The smallest kiss is how we fell
The smallest kiss

It Would Be The First Time

Good times for a change
See, the luck Ive had
Can make a good man
Turn bad

So please
Let me
Let me get what I want
This time

Haven't had a dream in a long time
See, the life Ive had
Can make a good man bad
So for once in my life
Let me get what I want

Lord knows, it would be the first time

I'll Be Your Pride

I roll the window down
And then begin to breathe in
The darkest country road
And the strong scent of evergreen
From the passenger seat as you are driving me home

Then looking upwards
I strain my eyes and try
To tell the difference between shooting stars and satellites
From the passenger seat as you are driving me home

"do they collide?"
I ask and you smile
With my feet on the dash
The world doesn't matter

When you feel embarrassed then I'll be your pride
When you need directions then I'll be the guide
For all time