The Willows

She said, "Does anyone even love me, just for who I am? It sucks the life right out of me when I have to pretend" And I'd never seen fear before like I saw in her eyes As she chased her fifth of whiskey down With a twist off bottle of wine Her hands had the shakes and were a little rough from the farm But I'd have bet a month of paychecks that the other sides were warm I didn't have the words for her, just spitting in an empty can But I could feel each one she said sometimes You've got to hurt to understand I recall the scent of the summer rain on that August night we met The hair she left on my pillowcase and the smoke from her cigarette Said she was only seeking virtue, somewhere souls and hearts are saved But an all night drive to Tennessee didn't bring her what she craved I asked, "Is it Jesus that you seek, kneeling on that cold tile floor Searching for your slice of heaven you won't find at the dollar store" She said, "This angel on my shoulder is trying to have her say, But it's the devil on my tongue that always gets his way." And the willows ain't the only things weeping And the vultures ain't dead they're just sleeping When she came undone it all poured out in a torrent and a rhyme Nothing left to spend but the time She said, "Don't you get too comfortable, We don't have that kind of time. Pretty soon you'll go your way, and I'll go mine." I guess no one ever told her to come in from the rain Broken bones and broken hearts, they don't heal the same She swallowed all your pride, washed it down with pills, A chalk outline around her and a prophecy self-fulfilled" She smirked and sank into the seat of her faded red Pontiac Said, "It took three years to change me, it'll take twice that To change me back." And the willows ain't the only things weeping And the vultures ain't dead they're just sleeping When she came undone it all poured out in a torrent and a rhyme Nothing left to spend but the time