The Crooked Woodland Apothecary [Spoken Intro] Come in, love. Mind the roots beneath the floor. Leave your brave face by the lantern. You won’t need it in here. [Verse 1] There’s a bell above the doorway But it only rings for truth There are roots inside the rafters And a kettle black with use Every shelf leans slightly sideways Every label’s written strange I keep remedies for heartache And the weather in your veins You can tell me what they called it You can tell me what they missed Or sit quietly by the fire With your sorrow in your fists [Pre-Chorus] No white walls No waiting room No need to make the story smooth There is space here There is time Bring the whole untidy life [Chorus] Come in crooked Come in sore You don’t have to prove what happened at the door I keep medicine for things they couldn’t name A little root A little fire A little rest for the nervous wire Come in crooked You can leave without the shame [Verse 2] On the top shelf, sleep for hauntings In the blue jar, unshed tears There’s a cordial made for mornings When the future disappears Nettle for the spine returning Honey for the words that sting Salt to mark the line around you Mugwort for remembering There are tonics for the tender Who were taught to call it weak There are bitters for the anger That went silent in the teeth And a drawer of little matches For the ones who lost their spark Not to burn the whole world down, love Just enough to warm the dark [Pre-Chorus] No performance No disguise You don’t have to look all right Nothing broken Nothing owed Let me meet you as a whole [Chorus] Come in crooked Come in sore You don’t have to prove what happened at the door I keep medicine for things they couldn’t name A little root A little fire A little rest for the nervous wire Come in crooked You can leave without the shame [Bridge] I was never only needles Never only leaf and bone Sometimes medicine is knowing Someone sees the whole of you Not a promise I can save you Not a cure behind the veil Just a chair that does not hurry And a hand beside the trail One pinch salt Two drops spite Half a sandwich Sleep tonight Three slow breaths Feet on ground Tell the doom To turn it down [Final Chorus] Come in crooked Come in whole You don’t have to leave the wildness at the door I keep medicine for things they couldn’t name A little root A little fire A little rest for the nervous wire Come in crooked You were never yours to shame Come in crooked Come in true There is nothing you must turn into I won’t promise I can take the ache away But I can tend the little flame Sit beside what has no name Come in crooked You are welcome here today [Outro] Leave when ready. Stay awhile. The crooked door knows how to open For an honest, untidy life.
