martin finke :: lyrics

martin finke

lyrics

untended stories
weight of mountains
i once had a thing or two to say
i said it, i said them carefully
then i took you in my arms
now there’s a woman in the mix
a loving man to carry her
i’m with her when i beat the earth
a working man who earns a share
of every breath of working care

and i can feel your life
the weight of mountains standing in the light

i’m back at my geography
i feel the land in front of me
maybe if we take that road
with all our might to mexico
we can find time in the sun
and we will slowly get to know
a little more about our love
our hands in darkness, our eyes closed

silver on the shore
my love the weight of mountains in the night
and i can feel your life
the weight of mountains standing in the light

let’s be lonely when there’s nothing left to be
i’ve talked to every man i know about the open sea
what’s been in your life that has you laughing so
how can you be passion and master and still hold every note

the room tells me i’m busy
but my life knows i’m just waiting to come home
to sit beside the table that you laid
to talk about the dinner that you made
afterwards the curtains can be drawn
for the usual carry on

private parades
was there laughter when we were locked
my hand on your mouth when you talked
it could only mean treasures and drinking
and private parades for your private thinking

people believe that i’ve known you for years
and that all of your medals are mine
and the fruit that you picked
when we started to look like this
then it’s turned into wine

i could open the door and step into the rain
not knowing the traffic but sure
there’s a book on the shelf
and a new load of delf
you’ll buy it yourself
i’ll go with you

this isn't my footprint
this isn't my town
this lost body’s been washed up in heaven
like wool on a barb i’ve been caught on the run
on the run from this shimmering flood
of loneliness

was there laughter when we were locked
my hand on your mouth when you talked
it could only mean treasures and drinking
and private parades for your private thinking
i cleaned my house and wept
so happy that i’d been kept
and though i’ve also done some keeping
there’s a little weeping left

burning maps
we’re resting from the sights of town
i'll put another chaser down in front of you
and burn the maps that brought us here

this is the part that i need to watch
i’m careful and wired with a crowd behind
it’s easy when it’s sweet
but touching you makes me look strained

a holy walking thrill that’s barely around
when there’s no street corner noise for us to play in
and when there’s no light show
just a welcoming suburb with no life on show

we’re resting from the sights of town
in love if there’s a crisis now and then
for me to work on
for me to take everywhere with a smile

captain
when your love caught hold of me
i was drinking guinness on my own
fastest pint i ever drank
i swung onto the street believing
my news would go to print by morning

i sang a song to mark
it was an acorn of a song
it was a toy song for grown-ups
a paper song that stood up in the lamplight
both of us sang harmonies we didn't understand

you are my captain
and i am open
to every course that we might sail
because i need you
i need the daylight
the day within you
the morning’s quiet passed before the morning sun

when your love caught hold of me
i dropped what i was holding
or fell off my chair, one or the other
i think we stand to gain by being lovers
or others stand to gain from it
one or the other, maybe both

you are my captain
and i am open
to every course that we might sail
because i need you
i need the daylight
the day within you
the morning’s quiet passed before the morning sun
passed along the morning shore

other men
in the night time locks are loosened, bows untied
i shake off my shoes in a travelling way
a day of service done, a closing to the day
i find a blushing message in my mail
and read it as the light begins to fail
a flicker on the screen sets your name dancing
it’s a pinch of electricity that answered

tonight i’ll regale other men
with tales that i’ll be seeing you again
tonight

i went outside and walked away
i walked onto the road
i took a look at the black ground
from it came this old dreaming house
you helped me line the stones
that mark out this straight walking way
and i hooked up a curtain
to sing behind, to work behind
to fall beneath the night behind
and fling back on a sunday

tonight i’ll regale other men
with tales that i’ll be seeing you again
tonight

i read it in a book
americans could fix it
so that they could float a boat
down heavy rivers and control it

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