offstage —

there's days I feel my love is slipping off 
she cannot find her mark --
days it feels like she can't do it all again
things are just stuck
the ground is all muck --

it's like another rehearsal
performances never seem to come
just auditions for an empty part
so many lines
with just no meaning

she hears the sounds of others that say them
she hears the man's voice as it's calling out her name
just the same things every day and every night
it's just too much to take
and she feels about to break

it's the way that offstage feels these days
empty and alone
like a wandering balloon that
has long-since lost it's home
when is her part of the sky?
all of life has gone by --

and she says, "hold me, hold me.
I cannot find my light --
I'm offstage and empty

and cannot face the night -- "

and she says, "all rehearsals,
and I don't give a damn:
I'm always offstage now,

and don't know who I am -- "

For You I Can Be

WHEN THE DAY presses down like a barbell on a rack, 
Like an iron on a shirt, like sharp noise upon the ears, 
Come to me, and I will soothe your nerves, 
I'll be a place to rest, and you can feel the pressure 
Slowly start to lift 

Maybe nothing takes the pain away, and nothing ever could, 
But you at least don't need the tension of the bracing for the pain, 
You can give up or just give in with me, it's safe here by my side, 
And you can take from me this simple, easy gift 

Let the sun rain down like Saturday, the winter hide its face; 
Let the world go back into its angry corner -- 
Come to me, and I will be for you the quiet that you need, 
One small place to turn the chaos into order