FORGIVENESS TAKES THESE HANDS Bubba Patrick featuring Darlene [Intro — acoustic guitar and warm piano, gentle 6/8 sway] [Verse 1 — Bubba, male lead] I was washing out a coffee cup at daybreak, Having that same argument again. The other fellow wasn’t in my kitchen, But I could hear each word he’d said back then. I’d come up with an answer three years later, Something sharp enough to settle up the score. Then I noticed I was gripping that old handle, Standing barefoot on a quiet kitchen floor. [Chorus — Bubba lead; Darlene, female harmony] Father, take these hands, I’ve been holding on so long. Help me set this anger down Without calling right what’s wrong. There’s a life here needing tending, There’s some work that love can do. Forgiveness takes these hands And leaves them free for something new. [Verse 2 — Bubba] I wrote a letter, left it on the table, Read it back when afternoon came round. Half of it was me demanding answers, Half was every hurt I’d written down. I put it in a drawer and took a walk, Let the evening air fall on my face. I could choose the words I spoke tomorrow; I couldn’t make him see it all my way. [Chorus — Bubba lead; Darlene, female harmony] Father, take these hands, I’ve been holding on so long. Help me set this anger down Without calling right what’s wrong. There’s a life here needing tending, There’s some work that love can do. Forgiveness takes these hands And leaves them free for something new. [Instrumental — tender harmonica over piano] [Verse 3 — Bubba] Next time we talked, I kept it short and simple, Told him what I could and couldn’t do. When the conversation turned toward old trouble, I said, “We’ll talk another time,” and followed through. I didn’t spend the evening writing speeches, Though a few old answers wandered through my head. I let them pass and helped clear off the table, Asked somebody how their day had been instead. [Bridge — Darlene, female solo] You can wish somebody well And still need room to heal. You can close a conversation And be honest about how you feel. [Bubba — male lead] Some mornings I still catch my fingers tightening, And I pause before I pick that burden up. [Bubba and Darlene — male and female duet] Father, help us see what we are doing, Give these willing hands some work of love. [Final Chorus — Bubba lead; Darlene, full female harmony] Father, take these hands, They’re learning to let go. Help me leave some room today For the life I’ve yet to know. There’s a garden needing water, There’s a friend I’m going to see. Forgiveness takes these hands And gives them back to me. [Outro — Bubba, softly sung] I washed that same old cup this morning, Set it by the window in the sun. Then I stepped outside to water those tomatoes, Before the hottest part of day had come. [End — gentle piano and acoustic guitar]
