Well I know it's been a minute since you heard from me, and I know we weren't close to being with, and frankly if you don't even remember what you know me from, I get it; we get older and I don't leave very strong of an impression. But I knew you once and I remember lots of things about the way you granted me your patience when I had a lot of stupid shit to say. You didn't owe me that. You didn't owe me anything, and you don't owe me this, but if you're interested, I'd like to know you better, and you could know me

I've given up on solid nouns People, places, and things are all broken, honestly I live exclusively on concepts now I worry that soon they won't do a lot for me I drive a lot when I'd rather not Seeking an ostensible justification One day my Corolla will suddenly stop But I'll keep moving: perpetual motion I've got a vision that is, every day, harder to shake, so look out I have an incomplete perception of the size of the stakes, so look out If you can go on without me I recommend you do And you might feel bad about me But I'll be proud of you The things that I can only dream of doing come so easily to you I should've quit when I still knew how But it's too late now, it's too late now, it's too late now My stomach hurts when I think about love My body hurts when I think about waking up My brain hurts when I think about you waking up And the way you continue to be in love But that's the smallest part Of the system that I built to motivate me through it "Make A Fist The Size Of Your Heart" As if there's any other way to fucking do it I've got a vision that is, every day, harder to shake, so look out I have an incomplete perception of the size of the stakes, so look out If you can go on without me I recommend you do And you might feel bad about me But I'll be proud of you The things that I can only dream of doing come so easily to you I should've quit when I still knew how But it's too late now, it's too late now, it's too late now A thousand American twenty-somethings All stare into smoky ceilings and think in unison These words: "If Will could make it happen, who says I can't make it happen?" But most of us haven't self-released A dozen different records by the age of twenty-three And if we did, and if they were good, They still probably weren't How To Leave Town good So as I watch the clouds envelop me I remember what my sister said about rocks and leaves And I look around the room that either I designed Or is itself designing me I am the rock that has pinned me down I am the town that I could never leave And so I go around again like: "It's too late now, it's too late now, it's too late now, it's too late now, it's too late now, it's too late now, it's too late now, it's too late now, it's too late now, it's too late now, it's too late now, it's too late now, it's too late now"

I know all the good lessons I know all the good words I can boil down a process into a couple proverbs Like: "Don't keep your eggs in a single basket" "Don't use the cover to judge the book" "It's always better to have loved and lost" "It's always in the last place you look" You know, lately, I don't have a lot going on Maybe I could come by I could sit on your shelf and watch your life roll along Instead of watching mine You have every right to be suspicious You have every right to be informed You have every right to get all the advice you can get and leave most of it ignored Like "don't believe in everything you read" "Don't forget you still need to eat" "Look for people who want to help you" "Look both ways when you cross the street" You know, lately, I don't have a lot going on Maybe I could come by You could keep me in mint condition Just the way that I arrived

Ships set sail every day I untied mine and it floated away If I thought a little harder and moved a little quicker I probably could've caught the line A better ship needs a better crew I guess I thought I'd do better than you But I've given it a minute and now we're getting in it I think you're gonna do just fine Play the record that you bought I will keep you in my thoughts Shannon, I won't forget Every day you inspire me yet I bore witness to the heavy forgiveness That you reserve for things you love But you lash out when you disagree Misery makes its own company Count up your love and I think you'll see That you have enough for everyone I know you will not abide Time was never on our side Love will invite you in You'll catch your second wind You'll help each other grow Your love will make it so Love is the world you love The world you're dreaming of And if your love is gone Then come along

Good and useless

I was spent by the end of it So I'm glad you never changed your mind It was you who finally ended it But it was really just a matter of time Because when I was sixteen years old, an angry little seed was sown that Turned me green and sick So we can't be friends; I'll tell you once again, And this time, it better stick: Get lost I want to feel better about you Get lost I want to get better without you There's a voice in my ear again It always tells me how I need to be But today I finally understand That those words don't come from me I shouldn't have to explain to you the little things you say and do that Leave me cold and scared Vulnerability is what you stole from me And you can't go home from there Get lost I want to feel better about you Get lost I want to get better without you Get lost I want to feel better about you Get lost I want to get better without you So if you try to call me up Because you need to know that I'm alright I'll tell you that I'm well enough And move along with my life Because I need to feel sane and strong, and learn to get along, and learn To make my intentions clear Because the truth of it is that I feel like shit But it's not cuz you aren't here, so Get lost I want to feel better about you Get lost I want to get better without you Get lost I want to feel better about you Get lost I want to get better without you

I don't want to tell you, but I want you to know: I hope you have room left for love in your home I hope you believe where there's darkness, there'll be light My front door is open for you every night I know it gets hard when we're on a long drive And you won't always have a good friend by your side I hope you can carry this all the way home But no one would ask you to do it alone I hope the people you love love you too If you're lucky, their love will be the same kind for you I hope you can forgive them when you don't owe it to them I hope you will see all the good that can do I don't want to tell you, but I want you to know That you can move on if it helps you to grow We all live in people we build up in time But if you give up yours, I'm fine giving up mine We'll discover ourselves hiding under the bed We'll make the decision to be them instead And in our new world, we can do what feels right And I'll make you breakfast the rest of my life I hope the people you love love you too If you're lucky, their love will be the same kind for you I hope you can forgive them when you don't owe it to them I hope you will see all the good that can do I hope the people you love love you too If you're lucky, they'll help you to pull yourself through Cuz life's for the birds, but death's for the worms I hope when you quit, it's at least on your own terms

The instincts we are born with Are what get us in the end It's simpler than sin "Come on the rising wind" We try to come prepared We try to know our hearts But the heart is too far from the head To be kept from the inevitable faltering and falling apart And so it is for you You'll think you've got it won But in the final seconds you'll feel the weight Of the hundred ways you got it wrong This is the end of the story of everyone Who ever knew that they were right You came in like a lion You'll go out like a light