I Remember It Clear [Intro] Courthouse, 8:47 AM Third floor, parking structure, level two I've rehearsed this walk a hundred times I know exactly what to do [Verse 1] Fluorescent hallways, clipboard forms, kind that never change She's already inside, they say I always show up late That apartment on Broward, first month in, rent was eight forty-two Blinds broken in the kitchen, window facing the avenue Sunday evenings she made rice, I mentioned that in my report A man who tracks the small things, that's not sentiment, that's support Crayon drawing on the fridge, our daughter made it April third House, two figures, sun in the corner, ask her, she'll confirm [Pre-Chorus] I've got it all right here Every date, every claim The record doesn't lie And neither do I [Chorus] I remember it clear Every word, every year I remember it clear That's the version I'll swear I've got it documented right Every wrong, every night I remember it clear [Verse 2] Mediation room, fake ficus, air too cold Two attorneys splitting Thursday pickup at a table's edge I don't recall that fight the way she's laid it in the filing I remember her voice went first, I was stating facts, not inciting Context changes the translation, that's not what she's calling it, she knows Drawing still on my fridge, same corner, same sun, I keep the record close [Chorus] I remember it clear Every word, every year I remember it clear That's the version I'll swear I've got it documented right Every wrong, every night I remember it clear [Verse 3] Fourteen pages, the evaluation, disputed every third line The assessor lacked the context, half the record misassigned The night I left I needed space, how reasonable people respond You don't categorize that as abandonment, you call it: moving beyond Same drawing, different kitchen, different zip, same fridge, same corner Same orange sun, same house, I call that continuity, not disorder [Bridge] She colored the sky purple Said that's how it looked from her room She said the figures don't match But she was only four [Verse 4] Tuesday pickup, she had a drawing in her bag Same orange crayon, been practicing the figures, got the house and got the flag She said: Daddy, how come on yours the house is smaller than the one at Mom's? Told her the artist picks the scale, perspective, it's just art Changed the station, hit the light, she went back to coloring in the dark She knew exactly what she'd seen She knew exactly what she'd seen [Verse 5] Third floor parking, 8:47, same lot, different Tuesday, same rehearsal Lead with the apartment, lead with the rice, lead with what a present father recalls The drawing's in my folder: exhibit C, colors intact, figures right House, two figures, sun in the corner, I go over this alone at night [Chorus] I remember it clear Every word, every year I remember it clear That's the version I'll swear I've got it documented right Every wrong, every night I remember it clear [Outro] Third floor. Level two. I know exactly what to do. Loop I remember it clear. Every word, every year. I remember it clear. That's the version I'll swear. I've got it documented right. Every wrong, every night. I remember it clear.
