1. |
Star Light, Star Bright
02:56
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I might dream we're on a mountain
under clouds and stars
holding hands
and every blade of grass:
a souvenir, I said at last
and every blade of grass:
a souvenir, stuck to my sweater
that by you I may remember
star light, star bright, oh
the first star I see tonight
glimmers in your eyes
star light, star bright, oh
throughout this depth of sky
at last, we have arrived.
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2. |
Lake Crescent Deep
04:07
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She said, “let’s leave her a note to read on the plane”
Riding home, all I see
crescent moon beside me
waxing waning, all the same
we both see it anyways
I said, “I miss the mountains”
the horizon's so big and when I can see it all
I feel so scared, like the sky is caving in from above me
caving in from above me
lake crescent deep landlocked salmon sleep
all your distant cousins
never washed ashore,
lake crescent deep
do you even dream of up stream?
I dreamt last night that I visited you
in a small town in PA or was it upstate
it was late and
you had to get up early without me
so we snuggled until we fell asleep
until we fell asleep
lake crescent deep until we fell asleep
I love the way you speak of your best friend Gene
who passed away too soon
and how 40 years later you still remember
his song's juke box number
She said, “i miss the prairie”
the sky is so big and if I can't see it all
I feel so scared, like the land is closing in all around me
closing in all around me
lake crescent deep all around me
all your distant cousins
never washed ashore,
lake crescent deep
lake crescent deep around me
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3. |
And then we Paused
02:27
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There’s a space between us
and I can’t tell
whether it’s real or in my head
the scale tips up
the scale tips down
the scale sways side to side
and reaching toward each other
in sync, we find
we pause
we balance
hesitate
and then we fall away
away away
from this space between us
can we hold this space
in mid air
on our feet
stable ground or rocky shores
can we hold this space?
can we hold this space?
can we hold this space?
can we hold this space?
There’s a space between us
and I can’t tell
whether it’s real or in my head
my heart is on the edge of balance
and then
we paused
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4. |
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What do we keep tucked away?
Under the bed, out of the way
or way up high, I can’t even see
what can it be?
That part of me I used to be
I’d wear it on my sleeve.
There’s something about you
I can’t put my finger on
with your words and your eyes
and your smile and your sigh
And then you froze.
You wouldn’t know
how much
it hurt
to see you go.
What do you keep tucked away?
A map to find
buried treasure one day.
It’s been so long,
How could it be?
You’ve been out at sea
and now the map is faded
and blowing in the breeze.
Distant lands, take heed!
Star charts aligned,
Navigation: full steam.
This compass reads true
I’m heading out
to find you
in moments of loud, and in quiet moments we distill
in this place, deep inside
sometimes Del visits me still
when I miss you and I cry
or I get so flooded with feelings I… I… I… I go inside
and you might see it in my eyes:
these looking glasses, you and I
What do we keep tucked away?
Under the bed, out of the way
or way up high, I can’t even see
what can it be?
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5. |
Alchemy
03:13
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I got lost looking for your heart
an arranged meeting to return some things
to burn some things
and you asked: would I rather regret the action, or inaction, of this kiss?
Better find an alchemist.
This winter... This winter...
Against all odds I struggled in the dark
my heart how it beats for the bellows to keep this flame alive
This winter I'll write a song for you
how my heart wanted nothing more
than to hold hands with you
and the knots in my stomach
when we shared the same room
how could I know what to do?
And it's nights like this
when I want to quit
and I don't expect you to give a shit
should our stars align
or our planets collide
you're just a civilian in disguise
and who are you to criticize
neither heart nor spine
it's time
I ran away away away away away away
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6. |
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on the street corner last year, I ran into Susan
she sells papers in front of the co-op
I burst into tears and she said “come over here,”
she let me cry on her shoulder a while
she said “family is a room full of people
who surround a burning candle”
she said “family is a room full of people
who keep the flame glowing”
And I cried my way thru the grocery store
and I cried my way home on my bike
you held me as I cried into your arms
you said “cry any which way you like”
then while alone and at home awake all night long
1AM trudged into 3(AM)
I sobbed into my pillow, how can I go on
with such insomnia and anxiety
and I sang to myself, I sang through the night
“i am drowning and there’s no sign of land”
I hugged my pillow in lieu of your body, and into
the darkness I sang:
“you’re coming down with me, you’re coming down with me
hand in unlovable hand”
On the edge of my sanity, scattered, in disarray,
I am grains in an hourglass,
And time after time, I gather the pieces of myself:
over and over and over and over and over and over again.
I didn’t count all the fragments and shards
there are too many places to start
but with this broom and this candle
with this broom and this candle
can I find all the pieces of my broken heart?
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7. |
Love and Unlove
04:31
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Love and unlove
did you even know me?
What is the problem that led me here?
How do you account for this whole year?
I want to see you.
I want to see and be seen.
But you’re still deep in the closet
and there’s no room for me
I thought we were
galaxies, tide charts, solar systems
every molecule
a spec of sand
on the shores of our bodies
and every sip of water
a tidal wave
love and unlove
a gust of wind
with each new breath
against rocky shores
we are fault lines
subduction zones
and the narrow space between us
I thought Gibraltar
or eternity
we were once soft and supple,
explorers in our time
alas, the tide’s gone out
and you with it
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Stef on a Clear Day Seattle, Washington
Stef on a Clear Day sings the intimacy of deep secrets and brings fading memories to life through storytelling, live-looping, electro-acoustic songscapes, micro-ballads, and poetic pleas.
Stef on a Clear Day recommends:
Precious Futures
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Walt plays all of the instruments all at the same time and he totally blows my mind.
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Grand Hotel Cosmopolis
by Geoff Berner
I aspire to write songs like Geoff Berner.
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A damn fine album. (I'm biased, I'm in the band.)
go to albumIf you like Stef on a Clear Day, you may also like:
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supported by 6 fans who also own “Songs of Love and Unlove”
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