[Intro] You walk in carrying a weather I have never known I see the coat you wear; I don’t know what you’ve been shown [Verse 1] You say the river runs east; I’ve only watched it turn You learned your lesson from a different kind of burn I could call you foolish, make a courtroom of this room Or ask what made that answer bloom [Pre-Chorus] Hold the verdict, leave a little space There’s a whole life behind a stranger’s face [Chorus] I won’t make a weapon of being right I’ll ask what it’s like from the other side You don’t have to see it the way I do For me to make some room for you We can disagree and still stand near Trade the easy blame for a harder ear Before I shame you for the way you see I’ll try to understand what shaped your view of me [Verse 2] Your words come out like stones; mine have cut that way before We both know how a slammed shut door can sound across a floor So tell me where it started, what you’re trying to protect I’ll listen for the part I haven’t heard yet [Pre-Chorus] Hold the verdict, leave a little space There’s a whole life behind a stranger’s face [Chorus] I won’t make a weapon of being right I’ll ask what it’s like from the other side You don’t have to see it the way I do For me to make some room for you We can disagree and still stand near Trade the easy blame for a harder ear Before I shame you for the way you see I’ll try to understand what shaped your view of me [Bridge] Maybe your map was drawn in a storm Maybe mine was handed to me warm Neither story tells the whole of us So let the first question be, “What have I missed?” No, empathy is not surrender It’s courage with the doors thrown wide I can hold my ground and still remember There’s a human being on your side [Breakdown] Ask me why I’ll tell you true Then I’ll turn around And ask you, too [Final Chorus] I won’t make a weapon of being right I’ll ask what it’s like from the other side You don’t have to see it the way I do For me to make some room for you We can disagree and still stand near Trade the easy blame for a harder ear Before I shame you for the way you see I’ll try to understand what shaped your view of me [Outro] A little more room A little less blame We meet as people Before we name
