The hillside before me rolled out like a wave
awash in my thoughts 'til I noticed the grave
the headstone was tilted and covered in rot
a memory of someone forgotten, but not.

The scene triggered feelings which drew me way back
to a time when I dwelt in a one bedroom shack
the love of my life had grown cold, and despairing,
my heart shriveled up like an unpickled herring

I remembered thereafter, and oh, what a mess
I led me to places too dark to confess,
dying for flowers from somebody dear
I'd fill up my window box year after year.

and soon the depression grew into a hedge
though flowering plants kept me back from the ledge
"I'll never be happy! " I quite often thought
a forgotten old headstone all covered in rot.

I swore if I ever recovered again
I'd wait for the right one, the Boaz of men
but for all of the damage, the shape my heart's in
be blessed if he'd notice, so how could I win?

With all of these memories weighing me down
I slapped myself silly and turned up the sound
and opened the windows to let in some air
the sun on my face and then suddenly...glare!

I veered off the highway which cut through the land
a two lane construction of asphalt and sand
took the embankment at an ungodly pitch
and suddenly airborne, shot over a ditch.

Landing my vessel across the divide
I hoped for the best for it's brave underside
the dust settled soon, and how foolish I felt
Thank God I'd remembered to buckle my belt.

And there in the front seat, assessing my plight
dazed, but amazed at this beautiful sight
as 'Love is a Battlefield' blared in the grime
Wildflowers grew in the trenches of time!

You the forgotten who languish for years
ditched and bedraggled and drained of your tears
thinking you're nothing, a sunset that's fading
grieving love lost while your best years are waiting

Tend to your gardens wherever they are
keep yourselves fresh with the watering jar
Remember, like flowers, the wild ones too
your maker, your husband, will take care of you.

For your Maker is your husband--the LORD Almighty is his name--the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.
Isaih 54:5

Looking back I couldn't see
he storm clouds rising up inside me
here alone I've faced a darker day
Hard to know where you begin, just like the rain
you touched my skin and suddenly I'm drenched
and looking for a place to hide away

With you, with you
Hide away with you, with you

Take me back to where you're from
and dry me off beneath the sun
and speak to me the words which turn cold winters into summer
Melt the ice within my heart, please make it safe
and never part my life with you is so much more
than what it was, a ******

With you, with you
Summer fun with you, with you

Clouds move in and storms roll past
the darkness comes but never lasts
in suffering, somehow Grace has seen us through
and when we're tired of being kin
and threads of love are getting thin
whatever comes, I'm hangin' in with you

With you, with you
hangin out with you, with you

a careful and a thoughtful kind of man
standing on the edge of all he knows
timing is the most important thing to him
counting all his reasons as he goes...

watching everyday as days draw near
how he'd like to leave it all right now
tomorrow holds the answer, soon it's yesterday
gone without a trace and this is how

a careful and thoughtful kind of man
standing on the edge of all his fear
waited 'til his boy was nearly nine years old
daddy taught him well to disappear.  

never let them know you're leaving town
spend some time and money on the kids when you're around
be sure to have your picture taken all together then
leave when they're asleep without a sound.

"Where you going Pa", your little man
turn around and see him in the porch light if you can
"I'll be back in just a while" is what he heard you say
watched his daddy slowly walk away.

here we go, another wasted year
thought about the reasons that you had to disappear
nothing's sounding sweeter than the ones you left last spring
timing is the most important thing

My dad kept his eyes on the road, brimmed with tears
and you just gotta beleive,
His voice brittle, fighting not to break.

*That we'll all be together again someday.

sooner or later
you come to the place where it's
later and still you've got nothing to lose~

consider your life
and decide if there's something
that house on the hill or a wife if you choose~

but if it's much later
and maybe you're feeble,
a geezer, unlikely to dream, nevermind~

just look to the children
help when you're able
encourage the ones who are lagging behind~

cling to the present
and make the days happy
do what you can to bring someone a smile~

sooner or later
you'll come to the place where
it's later so better make sooner worthwhile~