1. |
My Mortal Wound
06:25
|
|||
It’s a strange load to carry
Hear a dog whistle, maybe it’s calling me home
To the heart of my mortal wound
And it’s true what they said about me
I’m a tattered flag, waving dirty and holy and prude
Could those words sound the same to you
I’m alright; I am
Just the tide’s gone still and I’m left waiting for something to happen
For anything to happen; For good things to happen
Emotional resistance
I don't feel pain, just remnants of my past
They’re a friend I afford myself
Love like that you just remember
Though you try so hard to close it; to end it; to heal
It will steal from you end to end
I’m alright; I am
Just the tide’s gone still and I’m left waiting for something to happen
For anything to happen; For good things to happen
It’s a wide open winter
And its muted deafness
Will break you will bind you will kill the mood
I’m alright; I am
Just the tide’s gone still and I’m left waiting for something to happen
For anything to happen
To hear someone’s laughter
To run, only faster
For paper or plastic; a natural disaster; a ride in a casket; a free colored napkin
A home on the east side, and people to call my own
A bike with a basket; a ball and a racquet
The new and old testaments with all the condiments
A summertime cannonball; Lady Godiva on a certified ferris wheel
Just tell me how you feel; just tell me how you feel
Just tell me how
Signed, your local suffragette; woman of eloquence
Strictly monogamous; live at the high school dance
Life is a party, don't you want to be part of it? Don’t you want to be part of it?
|
||||
2. |
Gentle
04:31
|
|||
I did not mean to plant a false dream
To tear at thin skin; disrupt the love you’re in
It was the left lane; the exit coming
Miss it on purpose, we’re only learning the ropes
Flashback a fortnight, feels like a long time
I broke you open; we bowed to no one
Switch to the right lane; the exit coming
Miss it on purpose; we’re only learning after all
Gentle were you on my mind; drank up all the lilac wine
In spite of ourselves
And gentle; it’s only my heart
We don’t need to start over again
I got a thick skull, use it to right your wrongs
Use it to curse my God, use it to watch us fall
Back to the fast lane; the exit coming
Miss it on purpose, we’re only learning
Gentle were you on my mind; drank up all the lilac wine
In spite of ourselves
And gentle, it’s only my heart; we don’t need to start over
I know now what you told her
I want you next week into the next year
To keep your eyes closed shut, my voice inside your ear
Stay in your own lane, the exit’s coming
I’ll get out right here, no need to worry
It was to see me, you took that false dream
Came up with new ones, they turned to thousands
Crashed in the left lane, the exit coming
It was on purpose; you stand for no one
Gentle were you on my mind, drank up all the lilac wine
In spite of yourself
And gentle, it’s only my heart; we don’t need to start over
I know now what you told her
|
||||
3. |
Birthday Song
04:53
|
|||
Mother and child cradle me in a memory of newness
Heavy, I open my arms as I turn to see
It was she all along who’d been casting the mystery of darkness
And me who’d awoken too early, still caught in her dream
Please excuse the wholeness of my offering
If I’m unworthy, Lord, I swear I’ll fake it good
Much of your touch is like smoke in the way that it billows
Dissipates lovingly as it folds into the sky
And finding a music that longingly waits for an echo
It falls to a sea that transforms in the blink of an eye
So please excuse the hardness of my softening
If I’m unworthy, Lord, I swear I’ll fake it good
Here I’m stuck inside of my hope as if time’s barely working
One cannot kiss sense into someone’s sweet lips to the grave
The last I had heard of your love it was inside a vacuum
But mothers must carry their children along all the same
So please excuse the wholeness of my offering
If I’m unworthy Lord, I swear I’ll fake it good
Please excuse the wholeness of my offering
I am unworthy, Lord
But I can fake it so goddam good
|
||||
4. |
Best of Times
03:29
|
|||
Best of times, worst of times, nothing’s gonna change my mind
Things can flip right on a dime; people fall in love
And then slip slide their way away
And I’ve known by extension of the note you left on my skin
It said, “I’ve been scared to know you better than, better than”
Better then, that we part
Hide your heart and take mind while you’re at it
Straight to bed, straight to sleep
Doing fine, you know, keeping it together
Family came to town, loud and proud, we’ve been talking bout the weather
And I’ve known by extension of the note they left on my skin, it said
I’ve been scared to know you better than, better than
Better then, that we part, hide your heart, it’s the one thing worth forgetting
Between the lines, between the notes sings my throat
It’s a battle cry, a sentimental sigh
Eyes are dry I am lying on the floor
And what’s more, I’ve been lying rather often to myself
Here I laugh like a kid, here I cry like a fully formed adult
Here I watch as your eyes size me up, two beams blazing my skull
Keep it light; feel the floor, something more, something
I’ve known by extension, it’s a message branded on my skin
Sayin “I’ve been scared to know you better than, better than”
Better, then, go ahead, hide your heart, let’s get started with forgetting
|
||||
5. |
That I Should Spill
03:02
|
|||
6. |
Nearly Lovingly
03:34
|
|||
Nearly lovingly, you turn to me
And say carefully that you cared for me
Nothing hurts me quite like hearing
That you’re sorry, nearly lovingly
Close to carefully, I drive separately
You chase after me, lagging heavily
Life is loneliness, joy is carelessness
Hope is happiness, love is paradox
For you did care for me, quickly, quietly
We hoped carelessly, far too generously
Then, clearly hopelessly, you breathed into me
I hope for you now close to constantly
Almost willingly I’ll go quietly
Close to hopefully you ask how I’ve been
Nothing’s hurting me, I say say carefully
We drive separately, truly lovingly
|
||||
7. |
||||
Story straight, story straight, these truths do not equate
Story, nice story, nice I’ll take you back in time
Glory, no glory, no closure, no these truths do not align
Something more, something more, hope is a careful whore
Bleeding you dry as her glow fills the sky
Back in time, story nice story nice
These truths do not align
Forgive me, if I did you wrong, forgive me
Story straight story straight parallel love and hate
Leaning out, reaching toward, looking for great escape
Glory no glory no closure no these truths do not align
Forgive me, if I did you wrong, forgive me
Forgive me if I did you wrong, forgive me
Story straight story straight these truths do not equate
Coincide, coincide we are as good as blind
Glory, no glory, no closure no
These truths do not align
Forgive me if I did you wrong, forgive me
|
||||
8. |
Francis
03:11
|
|||
Francis I'm having a nightmare I can't understand it
I dreamt I jumped for just to fall behind a cold and concrete wall
Forsaken from the garden that could last us
And Francis I'll ask something tragic if you'll please console me
If you're to smile without me there or catch another's lonesome glare
Would you at least remember me as holy?
Moon's out; spotlight
Left bound, turned right on your street, in your drive
Gal, I must say something: I warned you, darling
Francis I know that I'm more of a child than a mother
So I loved you til the morning ran
When dawn collapsed and rules began
We won the night for just to lose each other
Hearts beat; hummed low
Whispered through the window of that room that you know
How it slips so slowly, slowly, slowly
Boy, have I had it, you know that I barely can stand it
That with the fuel of borrowed truth we managed to escape the youth
That gave us the excuse to run the gamut
See you sometime
Bright eyes; dark minds
Eyes ahead; I must drive
|
||||
9. |
My Friend, My Killer
03:24
|
|||
Sometimes the hardest thing that can be asked is “how do you feel?”
And sometimes we give up the best thing we have simply so it seems real
And sometimes the lighting’s just right, and we think we’re in love again
It’s unkind to call you my killer, so I call you my friend
There is no distance too far, when I listen I always hear you
For you are the symphony strong enough, all bottled up as if braced for eruption
So sometimes I ride through the side streets and replay that song again
It’s unkind to call you my killer, so I call you my friend
There’s no losing out when you’ve already lost what you might have had
For all that you are makes it clear that we two should not speak again
But sometimes the night takes a turn, and you’re laying me down again
I call you that you are my— I call out that you are my—
I call out that you are my killer, but the world hears “my friend”
Yes, though you’ve been strictly my killer, I have loved you my friend
|
||||
10. |
Thank You For Your Time
05:56
|
|||
I’ve been deceived by love
And I’ve been deceived in trying to be kind to you
Dear, I’d die for you, but I’d do that for anybody
Every body knows it well
We are sustained by the needless breaking of the ties we make
Bows and holidays make for lively conversation
Easy does it, don’t spill on the carpet, baby
Easy does it, we’ll close up our hearts now, thank you for your time
I take it til I choke, it’s a boundless sort of grieving
Close to breathing, little more than soreness from the load I carry
Would you call me then, if I told you that I’m not dangerous, only willing?
To be kind to you— again, I’d die for you
But this I would for anybody
And easy does it don’t spill on the carpet baby
Now we’re in it, so who gets to kill it, finally
Stead hold it smile for the camera, baby
Easy does it we’ll close up our hearts now, thank you for your time
Like a wrinkle, just in time
Something curable, merely healing
Like a human, you’ll outgrow yourself
Then you can tell me how you’re feeling
Easy does it don’t spill on the carpet, baby
Easy does it we’ll close up our hearts now, thank you for your time
|
||||
11. |
||||
Something must’ve happened, I’m sure it did happen
Things always happen, good must’ve happened
Signed,
Life is a paradox stripped of its elegance
Strictly monogamous, just like that high school dance
Yeah, some kids feel stupid and some blame the happenstance
Some don’t believe in it; some plot the careful mess
Some seem immune but abide by the rules of
Some come home crying cuz they wanna be part of it
But I wasn’t built for this defective carousel
I wasn’t broken til you told me to watch myself
Some keep pretending they don’t wanna be part of it
And you keep pretending you don’t need to be part of it
But as it’s all ending, we all wanna be part of it
Don’t you wanna be part of it? Don’t you wanna be part of it?
|
If you like Lily Talmers, you may also like:
Bandcamp Daily your guide to the world of Bandcamp