Soul #3. Before the Porchlight Fades

[Intro] I parked two houses down to gather up my nerve, Didn't know if going home was something I deserved. [Verse 1] That old white fence was leaning to the left, Somebody planted marigolds where we once kept the steps. I had memorized a speech across a thousand miles, But couldn't find the first word standing in that drive. The light above the porch was yellow as before, A quiet little promise shining by the door. I carried all my wrong turns in a bag beside my feet, And heard a radio playing somewhere down the street. [Pre-Chorus] I can't undo the seasons, I can't pretend I'm clean, I only brought the truth and the person I've become between. My hand was nearly shaking when the screen door opened wide, And a voice I knew forever said, 'Come on inside.' [Chorus] Before the porchlight fades, let me find my way, Not asking you to lose the hurt or throw the past away. Only asking for a moment where the hard words can be said, And a chair beside the table where I once laid my head. Before the porchlight fades, before the evening ends, Let the broken road lead someplace we can try again. We don't have to call it easy, we don't have to call it saved, Just leave a little light for the love that still remains. [Instrumental — 8 bars] [Verse 2] She set a plate of leftovers and asked me how I'd been, I told her about the nights I tried and failed to call again. We named the things that happened, didn't skip a single one, The hallway clock kept ticking and we let the silence run. No instant absolution, no pretending we were fine, But she asked if I could help repair the porch on Saturday at nine. That little future tense put a tremor in my smile, The first small piece of hope I'd carried in a while. [Bridge] Sometimes grace is a sentence, sometimes work and time, Sometimes it's a hammer and a porch board out of line. Not all roads lead to healing and not every door comes free, But tonight the door is open and there's room enough for me. [Final Chorus] Before the porchlight fades, let me find my way, Not asking you to lose the hurt or throw the past away. Only asking for a moment where the hard words can be said, And a chair beside the table where I once laid my head. Before the porchlight fades, before the evening ends, Let the broken road lead someplace we can try again. We don't have to call it easy, we don't have to call it saved, Just leave a little light for the love that still remains. [Outro] I put my suitcase down and heard her softly say, 'You'll help me fix the railing before the porchlight fades.'