Water Between us by Joe Henry Lyrics

A holy ghost hangs in our trees
A cool eye watching over these
And every perfect, crooked thing;
While every crooked dream
Imagines that it walks between
Straight arrow days…
Great water lies between us
I’m bending at the knee—
Great water lies between us
Great water gives my face right back to me

Words may all escape me now
And any song they do allow
Will pull the blinds and push me to the floor
There are lost among the found
Who follow at the hollow sound
Of every shoe outside the door…
Great water lies between us
A vain and reckless sea—
Great water lies between us
Great water lies, but won’t lay down with me
The tongues have been cut from the bells
Lest they swing out loud and tell
How still we hide away
Shadows whisper by like brooms
Skirting halls to basement rooms;
They hunker low, waiting out the day…
Great water lies between us
Great water moves below—
Great water lies between us
Great water begs we both arise and go

Measured up against the air
Everything’s beyond compare;
We’ve never been what we are right now before—
Our victories are unconfirmed
Beyond the pale of what we’ve learned;
But our empty hands are open as a door
Great water lies between us
The way it knows to do—
Great water lies between us
Great water begs I walk across to you