La Dispute
New Storms For Older Lovers
"I've come here as a man in shambles—
Worn out from begging on my knees
Please, I'm just trying to keep my family together
Now, when you saw your lover wore a ring around her finger
Why didn't you stop?
I have half a mind to make you hurt
To make you bleed
To make you suffer
I swear, if you've touched her—oh, heaven
Forgive what I would do to you, you monster
Think about your children
They'll never believe what you've done
Listen, I'm begging you, back off
Let me rebuild all the things that you shattered
She meant it, I swear that she meant it
She whispered so often
'Husband, I'll always be here with you.'
Always, always, always, always, always, always
Always is valueless
I wish I'd never heard her speak a word
And I hope you see us—
Your wife and your children and I
Buried in the wreckage of your crime
While you're laying down your sins
Softly leaning in to kiss your guilt goodnight."
She is mine. She is, She is mine
You stole her, somehow tricked her but
We'll survive. We will. We'll survive
She loves me dearly—you'll see
You are blind. You are, You are blind
She loves me, dearly loves me, she --
Breathe in, breathe in, breathe in, breathe in, breathe in
Breathe in, breathe in, breathe in, breathe in, breathe in
Breathe in, breathe in, breathe!
He finally paused to take a breath
Then looked down—it felt like staring into hell
The man was seated in a chair before him, silent
A statue framed in pain and flesh. He thought
"Oh, what more can I say to sway him? To make this statue speak?
I swear he's made of stone and I am barely stirring up a breeze."
I'm barely stirring up a breeze
And after waiting in the silence
Finally, he finally turned around to leave
Broken and barely through the doorway
Breathing slowly, beating hard, he heard him speak:
"I guess love's a funny thing—
The way it fades away without a warning
It doesn't ask to be excused
And when it's gone—oh, it's gone!—it ain't ever comin' back
There is nothing you can do to save it
To make it breathe the way it did
When you were sliding on the ring
Trust me: It's gone for good
Now there is nothing you can do to stop me
She is happy when she is with me and I am
I am finally alive. I'm sorry."