[Verse 1] You ask where all these tears came from Like they just showed up tonight A little girl with a scraped-up knee Trying hard to hold her face right That nice man leaned in close and said, "Keep it quiet" Like quiet could make it fine At a family party, sent for cider I still hear the sink from back then [Verse 2] My uncle said, "Keep it between us" Like secrets were something I could hold On my way home, books pressed to my chest Shouts and footsteps closing in Years later, on a date, I froze up Drove home sick all the way [Chorus] How many tears stayed tucked inside How many never found my face Where did I keep them all that time If not in the dark, out of reach It all came loose One small crack at a time Now you know I never forgot where this started [Verse 3] I got married, thought I could trust Thought I could breathe without looking down I finally said no, plain and clear My husband checked the deadbolt, then smiled He laughed like it was nothing Dropped his keys in the bowl Like my body was a spare room My fear, some old thing I owed [Chorus] How many tears stayed tucked inside How many never found my face Where did I keep them all that time If not in the dark, out of reach It all came loose One small crack at a time Now you know I never forgot where this started [Bridge] I used to press it down, press it down hard Bite the inside of my cheek till it hurt I used to tell myself If I held still long enough, maybe it wouldn’t work But the silence kept a copy And the shame kept the key Every door I closed behind me Kept swinging open in me [Final Chorus] How many tears stayed tucked inside How many learned to wait their turn Where did I hide them all those years In my throat, in my hands, in my words It came out anyway Through every cracked-open part Damn right you know Where these tears start
