The Bard Who Never Learned

[Verse 1] Pull in close My restless friend I’ll trade you truth for ale Of how I won and lost a heart And traced the same sad trail First I came with empty hands And eyes that wouldn’t roam Spoke her name like borrowed fire And walked her halfway home [Chorus] That’s how you win a woman Promise less and listen more Lay your pride beside her chair Leave your armor at the door That’s how you lose a woman Show her what you fear is true Hold back the bruise behind your laugh Hide the worst of you And then you start again Like a fool who never knew [Verse 2] Spring turned cheap The work ran thin My temper wore like thread I bit down on every doubt Till all I saw was red She asked for simple Honest days I offered grand designs Built a castle on my tongue And moats of bitter wine [Chorus] That’s how you win a woman Paint her future calm and clear Share the maps inside your chest Trace her edges Keep her near That’s how you lose a woman Turn her questions into war Count your scars like sacred coins Guard the darkest drawer And then you start again Swearing you’ll do less harm than before [Bridge] Third time’s charm or curse My friend? (hey) I met her in a market rain I called her “love” by accident She laughed and used my name I told her “I break what I embrace” She said “Then start with telling me” So I laid my failures at her feet Like branches at her tree [Chorus] That’s how you win a woman Show the cracks before they spread Let her see the crooked beams Not just the painted shed That’s how you lose a woman Forget the vows you swore that night Stop singing once the ring is on Go blind to what is right And that’s how I’ll do it again Till I learn to love the light [Outro] So drink to every tender start And every shattered end To winning Losing Learning slow And trying once again