[Intro] Rake in my hands Month on the ground You said leave it I struck it Anyway [Verse 1] Wet leaves do not want to go, they cling like unpaid talk I drag them into one ugly hill against the fence You stand on the steps with your arms folded, watching me work Like I am burning more than yard And you already know I am The match is a small thing The pile is not It takes three tries and then the smoke stands up You cough once and you do not come closer I feed it what the trees gave up [Pre-Chorus] If it still holds our names It can hold the flame If it still smells like then It can die the same [Chorus] Burn the pile Do not save the pretty dead Burn the pile Let the month get out of my head Burn the pile If the yard wants winter, fine I will give it fire I will give it time [Verse 2] A photograph corner lifts and blackens at the edge I did not mean to throw that in, then I did not pull it back You shout my name like the smoke just crossed a pledge I stare into the heat And I do not give it back There is a sleeve in there that is not even cloth now There is a paper cup lid curling like a mouth You say you are going inside I say good, go This is not a chore This is me getting out [Pre-Chorus] If it still holds our names It can hold the flame If it still smells like then It can die the same [Chorus] Burn the pile Do not save the pretty dead Burn the pile Let the month get out of my head Burn the pile If the yard wants winter, fine I will give it fire I will give it time [Verse 3] Neighbors pretend they do not see a man at war with leaves The sky goes the color of a bruise that learned to stand You watch from the window with the look that never leaves The look that says I knew You would use both hands I want the heap gone I want the smell gone with it I want the ground black and honest and done I want a yard that does not keep What we started When the month still thought it won [Bridge] You can keep October in your mouth You can keep the kitchen late You can keep the coat and the cup and the gate I get the rake I get the match I get the part that has to end If a season wants a body It can take the smoke instead [Breakdown] Feed it Feed it Do not flinch Wet heat White breath Red inch Burn The Pile [Chorus] Burn the pile Do not save the pretty dead Burn the pile Let the month get out of my head Burn the pile If the yard wants winter, fine I will give it fire I will give it time [Final Chorus] Burn the pile Say it with me, don't look away Burn the pile This is how I leave the day Burn the pile If you kept the warmth, keep it I will stand in the ash And I will not repent [Outro] Fence black Sky low Hands burned Month gone Or not The pile is down I am still On
