THE THORN AND THE THISTLE

upbeat Funk R&B soul Sex-forward Americana Dark blues rock Base electric guitar

V5.5

The rain came down in ribbons
On the blacktop and the briar
When a woman dressed in raven wings
Invited me to fire

She had sorrow in her stockings
And revenge beneath her curls
The kind of smile that starts a war
Then blames it on the world

She said,
"Come and warm your hands, my dear,
I've stories rich as sin."

I said,
"I've heard a thousand stories,
Tell me how they end."

She laughed like broken crystal
In a pocket lined with gold
And leaned across the candlelight
Enough to make me old

Now every road in Alberta
Has a ghost beneath its dust
And every family tree I've seen
Grows fruit from rot and lust

The branches twist in moonlight
The roots drink what they should
And nobody asks permission
When they're burying the wood

Then another beauty found me
By a river black as oil
With perfume made from secrets
And fingernails of spoil

She laid a hand upon my chest
And traced my weathered scars
Like she was reading maps she'd lost
Between the pines and stars

She whispered,
"Pick a side tonight,
The wolves are taking names."

I said,
"I've slept beside enough of them
To know they're all the same."

Oh the thorn and the thistle
The whiskey and the well
The kiss that feels like heaven
But remembers you from hell

The hand beneath the table
The dress upon the floor
The story that keeps calling
Though you've heard it all before

Now I knew a copper witch once
With green eyes deep as moss
She taught me every road worth taking
Starts with getting lost

She said,
"The loudest drums are empty,
The deepest rivers hide."

And every year I live
I find more truth inside

So let the cousins trade their curses
Let the uncles trade their blame
Let every haunted prophet
Find a stranger they can name

I ain't judge nor executioner
Nor witness for the crown
I'm just a traveler passing through
Before the sun goes down

And if you see me in the twilight
With the rye glass in my hand
Beside a copper-haired enchantress
And a hound that understands

Don't ask me who was guilty
Don't ask me who was good
I've seen too many forests
To get trapped inside one wood

2075/7500

The rain came down in ribbons On the blacktop and the briar When a woman dressed in raven wings Invited me to fire She had sorrow in her stockings And revenge beneath her curls The kind of smile that starts a war Then blames it on the world She said, "Come and warm your hands, my dear, I've stories rich as sin." I said, "I've heard a thousand stories, Tell me how they end." She laughed like broken crystal In a pocket lined with gold And leaned across the candlelight Enough to make me old Now every road in Alberta Has a ghost beneath its dust And every family tree I've seen Grows fruit from rot and lust The branches twist in moonlight The roots drink what they should And nobody asks permission When they're burying the wood Then another beauty found me By a river black as oil With perfume made from secrets And fingernails of spoil She laid a hand upon my chest And traced my weathered scars Like she was reading maps she'd lost Between the pines and stars She whispered, "Pick a side tonight, The wolves are taking names." I said, "I've slept beside enough of them To know they're all the same." Oh the thorn and the thistle The whiskey and the well The kiss that feels like heaven But remembers you from hell The hand beneath the table The dress upon the floor The story that keeps calling Though you've heard it all before Now I knew a copper witch once With green eyes deep as moss She taught me every road worth taking Starts with getting lost She said, "The loudest drums are empty, The deepest rivers hide." And every year I live I find more truth inside So let the cousins trade their curses Let the uncles trade their blame Let every haunted prophet Find a stranger they can name I ain't judge nor executioner Nor witness for the crown I'm just a traveler passing through Before the sun goes down And if you see me in the twilight With the rye glass in my hand Beside a copper-haired enchantress And a hound that understands Don't ask me who was guilty Don't ask me who was good I've seen too many forests To get trapped inside one wood

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