Physick

All the Days

 

 

 

1. Nine Things Even Ten

[Husband]:
There are nine things that are too wonderful for me …

 

 

2. Looking Back is a Lie

[Husband]:
Standing at the end of the aisle,
I watched everyone’s eyes follow you down.
But you couldn’t follow the time,
the processional played slow against your beat.

Then sweating in the heat of the light,
the impossible words fell from my mouth.
Everything was set in an hour;
I can’t hardly recall anything more.

[Husband and Wife]:
Looking back is a lie—
looking back through these eyes.

[Husband]:
Standing at the end of the aisle,
forever ago and yesterday.
Once I was a kid in disguise;
settled into being your man.

Long before we met at a bar,
I made some memories that I put you in somehow.
I don’t really get it at all—
I can’t remember a time you weren’t in my life.

[Husband and Wife]:
Looking back is a lie—
looking back through these eyes.

 

 

3. Stay

[Husband]:
Lover, don’t go.
Stay in bed for a while.
I can’t explain why,
but I will try.

Your face—
such grace.
I don’t know who I am
when you’re not around.
And my heart weighs a ton today.
So please stay.

I can’t find the words to say.
Stay.
I can’t hold the fear at bay.

I don’t know why
you don’t push me away.
I don’t understand,
but I will try.

Your face—
such grace.
Oh, I don’t have a clue
why you let me in
with all that I’ve done to you.
But you always come through
for me.
So please stay.

I can’t find the words to say.
Stay.
I can’t hold the fear at bay.

 

 

4. One of These Things

 

 

5. Naturally

[Husband]:
If I’m just a boy

[Wife]:
and I’m just a girl,

[Husband and Wife]:
then why is this so hard?

[Husband]:
I don’t wanna leave

[Wife]:
but I don’t wanna fight.

[Husband and Wife]:
Why can’t a natural fit get along?

Naturally, we will drift apart.
Naturally, we wanna be alone.

[Husband]:
I cleave until I’ve cut you down;
I cling until you fall.
But then—the Spirit rises;
the fear recedes. I thank Him
for His life, fresh.

I think about the wisdom songs;
I finally understand:
the way of men and maidens
is something I will never understand.
I’m just a boy.

Been down on one knee,
but since then you’ve seen
who I am. I’ve let you down naturally.

[Wife]:
I drop to my knees,
my hair on His feet,
and I cry, “Please wash our wounds.”

[Husband and Wife]:
Naturally, we try to go alone.
Naturally, we all fall apart.

 

 

6. Were You Wrong?

[Wife]:
Here we go again.
Argument wearing thin.

[Husband and Wife]:
Don’t tell me
I can’t talk like you’ve been talking
for half an hour or more,
much more.

[Husband]:
You always say
at the most inopportune times
that I always think I am right,
but really what else could I hope to do?

Walk in my shoes.
You’ll soon be singing sinking blues.
Don’t we all believe,
wrong or right,
everything we haven’t proven wrong?

When I take a breath,
I take in much more than I bargained for.
I see it in your eyes—
I cannot despise these feelings anymore.

[Husband and Wife]:
How could I doubt you now?
You gave your vow to only me.
Can I delight in being right without you?
I wasn’t right for anyone; then you took me in.
And you chose me only.
Were you wrong?

[Husband]:
I must agree,
if not with anything I see,
that I can depend on my faithful friend.

[Husband and Wife]:
I’m not right
if you’re wrong.

 

 

7. Lay We Down

[Husband]:
Lay we down,
garden of our desire.
Lilies droop, heavy with honey,
waiting within our bodies
to be collected.

[Husband and Wife]:
Lay we down,
low lights. Edit the night.
I know you as you have known me.
Every secret uncovered
under the cover.

Lay we down.

[Husband]:
I’ll be your tower.

[Wife]:
I’ll be your refuge.

[Husband and Wife]:
With this, you and I
turn into we.

Lay we down,
silver rings like strings
tied between our left ring fingers
to remind us of the things that
we can’t forget that
we can’t remember.

 

 

8. All the Days

[Husband]:
I picture us in France beside the Seine.
We amble hand in hand then
silhouette a kiss by sunset.

You’ll say that this is not like us.
After further thought,
I agree, of course, like always.

[Husband and Wife]:
All the days we’ve shared
cannot be contained in pictures.

[Husband]:
I’d rather be with you right now,
towel on your head.
Wear it like a crown, my princess.

[Husband and Wife]:
All the days we’ve shared
were not wasted.
I’d spend them again,
without a second to lose,
without a second to waste,
and only for you and with you,
heart of my heart,
for all the days.

All the days we’ve shared
cannot be contained in pictures.
All the days we’ve shared,
all the days,
cannot be contained.

 

 

9. Don’t I Know

[Husband]:
… ten, which I do not understand—the mystery.

I wake late.
I’ve been breaking the morning in
all my life—
in debt in every way.

Don’t I know I don’t
deserve your faithfulness?
I’ve never been, not once, worthy.

A debt I can’t repay.

Don’t I know? Oh.
Don’t I? Oh, no.

I get up; shuffle out;
pour some coffee.
You’ve already been up an hour;
taken care of everything.

I look up; see your face.
There’s a smile;
body turning in expectancy—
tryna share a hug with me.

I approach; set my cup
on the table.
And is this really happening?
How’d you learn to read my needs?

[Wife]:
How’d you sleep? Have a seat.
There’s a plate on the table
if you want to eat.
Do you want one egg or three?

You okay? You seem tired.
Missed you last night,
it’s chilly in the bed alone.

[Husband]:
Hearts hasten pace.

[Husband and Wife]:
Then we embrace as one,
in debt in every way.

Don’t I know? Oh.
In debt in every way.
Don’t I owe? No.
A debt I can’t repay.

We give thanks
all the days.

 

 

10. Echinacea Tea

[Husband]:
You walk in to the kitchen with purpose.
I lie on our old sofa, sick.

I’m sure you have a reason to be here.
I hope it’s to sit and hang around.

I’d lay my head down on your warm and always inviting lap.
You’d tend my sickness—
lay your hand on my spirit and my flesh.

Echinacea tea, a little honey—
steaming from your ever-gracious hand.